FROM    THE   LIBRARY   OF 

REV.    LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,   D.  D 

BEQUEATHED    BY    HIM    TO 

THE   LIBRARY  OF 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY 


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Sectlom  l^lYf 


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in  2012  with  funding  from 

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APR  22  1932 


ot  tbe 


(Jerman  ^Baptist  UBretbren 
Cburcb 


(Reprinted  from  PENNSYLVANIA-GERMAN  SOCIETY  ANNUAL,  1900) 


GEORGE   N.  FALKENSTEIN 
Pastor  Brethren  Church,  Germantown,  Pennsylvania 


LANCASTER,  PA. 

THE  NEW  ERA  PRINTING  COMPANY 

1 901 


DEDICATED 

To  the  memory  of  our  Spiritual  Ancestors  with  the  hope 
that  their  self-sacrificing  devotion  may  be  a  constant  inspi- 
ration unto  us  who  have  entered  into  their  labors, 

By  the  Author. 


PREFACE. 

♦fP^ISTORY  has  always  been  a  most  attractive  field  to 
■I*/  me  for  study  and  investigation.  The  most  impor- 
tant and  helpful  phase  must  ever  be  the  Philosophy  of 
History.  When  I  became  pastor  of  the  Mother  Church  at 
Germantown,  eight  years  ago,  I  had  as  fair  a  knowledge 
of  the  History  of  the  Brethren  as  could  be  gained  from  our 
scanty  records.  I  never  dreamed  of  the  wealth  of  his- 
torical data  that,  lying  hidden  and  buried,  awaits  the  faith- 
ful investigator.  As  soon  as  I  was  fairly  settled  in  my 
charge  and  began  to  breathe  the  historic  associations  of  my 
surroundings,  I  entered  with  enthusiasm  upon  the  study  of 
the  History  of  the  Brethren  Church.  I  was  distressed  to 
find  the  facts  of  our  history  so  scattered  and  that  practically 
the  sources  were  utterly  inaccessible  to  our  people.  Many 
visitors  came  to  look  upon  the  old  scenes  and  were  in- 
variably interested  in  my  recitals  of  the  History  of  the 
place.  I  was  pressed  for  years  by  friends  to  publish  my 
information  and  investigations.  But  not  having  the  means 
nor  time  to  prepare  for  publication,  I  purposed  to  accum- 
mulate  the  facts.  I  however  wrote  some  and  delivered  a 
number  of  historical  addresses  from  time  to  time.  I  dif- 
fused largely  the  knowledge  I  had  gained  in  this  way, 
and  had  many  inquiries  by  letter,  asking  many  questions 
and  through  my  extended  correspondence  much  of  my  in- 
formation found  its  way  into  print.  The  result  was  a  his- 
torical awakening  all  around  and  an  increased  demand 
that  I  write  our  history.  When  I  could  not,  others  entered 
into  my  labors. 

(v) 


vi  Preface. 

When  the  request  to  write  came  from  the  Executive 
Committee  of  the  Pennsylvania-German  Society,  I  could 
no  longer  refuse.  The  sketch  herewith  was  published  in 
the  Society's  annual  volume  of  1900.  It  here  appears  as 
a  refrint  at  the  earnest  request  of  many  friends.  These 
friends  have  been  a  constant  encouragement  to  me  in  my 
labors,  and  I  herewith  express  my  sincere  thanks. 

I  must  also  thank  Mr.  Julius  F.  Sachse  for  the  work  of 
illustrating,  so  successfully  done. 

No  one  is  more  conscious  than  I  of  the  imperfection 
of  this  sketch,  because  of  incompleteness  in  working  out 
historical  details.  I  have,  however,  faithfully  labored  to 
have  this  account  as  free  from  error  as  possible,  and  I 
sincerely  believe  that  the  careful  reader  will  recognize  this 
fact.  This  account  was  written  in  the  midst  of  many 
exacting  duties  and  I  wish  to  acknowledge  the  assistance 
of  my  faithful  wife  in  the  preparation  of  the  manuscript 
for  publication. 

With  the  sincere  hope  and  prayer  that  it  may  do  some 
good,  I  now  commit  this  little  volume. 

G.  N.  Falkenstein. 

1901. 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

1.  Brethren  Church  (Frontispiece) 

2.  Brethren  Church  and  Parsonage 17 

3.  Title-page  Alexander  Mack's  book 18 

4.  Morris  House,  Germantown 24 

5.  Interior  Brethren  Church 24 

6.  The  Old  Market  Square,  Germantown 25 

7.  Seal  of  Germantown,  1691 28 

8.  An  Ancient  Germantown  Grist  Mill 31 

9.  An  Old  Germantown  Landmark 38 

10.  Map  Showing  Baptistry 40 

11.  The  Baptistry  on  the  Wissahickon 41 

12.  Main  Street,  Germantown 43 

13.  The  Old  Shumacher  House 51 

14.  Alleged  Portrait  of  Beissel 54 

15.  On  Market  Square 62 

16.  Relics  of  Brethren  Church 63 

17.  Heidelberg,  Germany, 65 

18.  Grave  Stone  Alexander  Mack 69 

19.  Old  Pine  Cottage    . 72 

20.  Relics  of  Brethren  Church 72 

21.  The  Old  "Monastery" 73 

22.  The  "Wyck"  House 80 

23.  Title  of  Hymn 82 

24.  Baptismal  Certificate 89 

25.  The  Livezey  House 104 

26.  "Woll-rad" 105 

27.  "  Faden-haspel " 106 

28.  Spinning  Wheel 107 

29.  An  Old  Copper  Plate 108 

30.  Brethren  Church  and  Parsonage 113 

31.  New  and  Old  Brethren  Church 113 

32.  Parsonage,  built  1756 114 

33.  Ancient  Seals  on  Deeds 120 

34.  Signatures,  Declaration  of  Trust 128 

35.  Signature  Alexander  Mack 137 

36.  House  of  Johannes  Mack 134 

37.  In  the  Cemetery,  Germantown 137 

(vii) 


TABLE  OF   CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

INTRODUCTION 9 

CHAPTER     I.    The  Origin  of  the  Brethren.    The   Name. 

Story  of  the  Reformation.     German  Pietism 11-16 

CHAPTER  II.  The  Organization  of  the  Brethren.  Schwartz- 
enau.  Practice  of  Primitive  Christians  Persecution  and  Pov- 
erty    17-24 

CHAPTER  III.  The  First  Emigration  to  America.  A  Period 
of  Persecution.  Alexander  Mack,  an  Evangelist.  Seeking 
Religious  Freedom.     Religious  Differences 25-30 

CHAPTER  IV.    Gathering  the  "First  Fruits"  in  America. 

December  25,  1723.     The  roll.     The  Love-feast 31-37 

CHAPTER  V.  Growth  of  the  Congregation.  Celebrating  his 
Birthday.  Immediate  Results.  Religious  Activity.  A  Mes- 
sage to  the  Home  Land , 38-42 

CHAPTER  VI.  Missionary  Enterprise  in  the  Brethren 
Church.  A  Missionary  Tour  to  Frontier  Points.  Coventry 
Brethren.  Conestoga.  Return  to  Germantown.  Lessons  and 
Results.     The  Home  a  Sanctuary 43-50 

CHAPTER  VII.  The  Second  Emigration.  Dark  Days  and  Trials 
of  Fire.  Conrad  Beissel.  His  Wanderings.  An  Apprentice. 
Befriended.  His  Ingratitude.  His  New  and  Strange  Doc- 
trines      51-61 

CHAPTER  VIII.  Alexander  Mack.  Birth.  Occupation.  Mar- 
riage. Life-work.  His  Character.  His  Death  and  Resting- 
place.     His  Seal  Discovered 62-71 

CHAPTER  IX.  The  Reaction.  Elder  Peter  Becker.  His  Stead- 
fastness.    Alexander  Mack,  Jr.     Koch's  Visions 72-79 

CHAPTER  X.  Early  Congregations.  Germantown.  Great 
Swamp.  Abraham  Duboy.  Coventry.  Oley.  Cocalico. 
Conestoga.  Whiteoakland.  Great  Swartaro.  Little  Swar- 
taro.  Northkill.  Codorus.  Little  Conewago.  Conewago. 
Bermudian.     Stony  Creek 80-103 

(ix) 


x  Contents. 

CHAPTER  XI.     Industrial  Life.     Home  Industry.    A  Type.    A 

Bee-hive  of  Industry 104-112 

CHAPTER  XII.  The  Mother  Church  at  Germantown.  The 
Unwritten  History.  History  of  the  Present  Location.  Un- 
truthful Accounts.  Original  Deeds  Quoted.  Unique  Docu- 
ments. Deed  of  Trust.  The  Old  Folks'  Home.  The  Old 
Church.  The  Weaver  Log-house.  The  Select  School.  The 
Cemetery.  Alexander  Mack,  Jr.  Baptismal  Records.  Mack 
Family 113-140 

APPENDIX.  141-152 

PART  A.    Faith 'and  Practice 141-148 

PART  B.    Church  Government 148-150 

PART  C.    Statistics i5°-i5i 

PART  D.    Educational  Interests 151 

PART  E.     Missionary  Fields  and  Foreign  Work  ....    151 


INTRODUCTION. 


♦fFN  our  complex  modern  life, 
it  is  a  wonder  if  we  can  stop 
for  a  moment  and  look  back  upon 
the  simplicity  of  long  ago.  Sur- 
rounded by  luxurious  extrava- 
gance, we  cannot  realize  the 
narrow  limits  of  life  and  the  con- 
stant self-sacrificing  circumstances 
of  our  common  ancestry.  To-day, 
as  we  look  at  this  great  Commonwealth  of  ours,  some  men 
are  impressed  with  its  magnificent  proportions  and  are 
charmed  with  its  gilded  dome.  Some  there  are  who  look 
upon  it  merely  as  so  much  political  machinery  with  immense 
possibilities  for  the  advancement  of  personal  ends.  But  it  is 
more  than  a  political  spider  web — more  than  a  social  com- 
pact or  civil  alliance  with  repellent  national  prejudices.  It 
has  a  history.  It  is  no  longer  an  English  settlement  on  the 
Delaware — it  is  no  longer  Penn's  province.  It  is  more  than 
the  dying  cadence  of  strains  of  martial  music — more  than 
a  relic  of  colonial  days. 

It  is   a  building  with   foundations   and   superstructure. 
The  builders  were  building  in  the  century  that  is  past.     In 

(9) 


io  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

times  of  political  upheaval  and  civil  strife — and  in  times 
when  the  storms  that  try  men's  souls  were  raging,  the 
building  has  given  evidence  of  endurance  and  extraordi- 
nary strength.  The  members  of  the  Pennsylvania-Ger- 
man Society  have  assigned  to  themselves  the  pleasant 
duty  of  telling  to  the  world  the  history  of  the  German  in- 
fluence in  the  foundation  and  development  of  this  build- 
ing, so  remarkable  for  security,  strength  and  beauty. 
We  have  cleared  away  much  of  the  rubbish.  We  have 
examined  the  marks  and  inscriptions  on  the  walls,  and  the 
interpretation  of  them  has  been  an  astonishment.  There 
have  been  discoveries  as  real  as  those  in  the  Babylonian 
excavations.  The  foundation  stones  tell  the  story  of  the 
integrity,  industry,  devotion  and  the  virtues  of  faith  and 
hope  and  love  of  our  German  ancestors. 

We  honor  ourselves  in  the  study  of  the  measure  of  in- 
fluence of  the  religion  of  our  fathers,  whose  love  for  the 
home  was  more  perfect  because  of  love  to  God,  and  whose 
faith  in  life  was  more  constant  because  of  faith  in  Him. 
When  we  understand  better  the -far-reaching  influence  of 
that  pious  devotion,  we  shall  grow  in  appreciation  of  the 
rich  legacy  of  our  inheritance. 

Thanking  you  for  the  recognition,  that  the  Brethren 
church  has  been  a  factor  in  Pennsylvania  history,  I  trust 
that  a  historical  sketch  of  this  people  will  show  that  they 
have  also  contributed  elements  of  strength  to  our  beloved 
Commonwealth. 


CHAPTER  I. 


The  Origin  of  the  Brethren. 


N  account  of  frequent  confusion,  it  is  well  to 
notice  the  name  in  passing.  The  name  first 
selected  was  "The  Brethren,"  and  this  has 
always  remained  the  choice  above  all  others, 
but  to  distinguish  us  from  other  denomina- 
tions and  to  give  recognition  to  our  origin,  the  legal  cor- 
porate title  is  "  The  German  Baptist  Brethren."  If  the 
reader  desires,  however,  to  be  intelligent  upon  the  subject, 
it  is  necessary  to  remember  that  there  are  several  localisms 
and  terms  of  contempt  which  came  into  more  or  less  promi- 
nence in  the  early  history  of  the  denomination.  Thus  the 
words  "  Dunker"  and  "  Tunker,"  and  their  plurals,  come 
from  dunken  or  tunken,  meaning  to  dip,  or  immerse. 
These,  of  German  origin,  are  of  frequent  occurrence 
and  correct  enough  ;  Dunker,  being  smoother  than  Tunker, 
is  preferred.  Die  Dunker  is  familiar  to  many.  "  Ger- 
man Baptist"  is  legally  sanctioned  and  is  much  used, 
Baptist  being  derived  from  the  Greek  verb  bafitizo,  to 
immerse.  The  word  "  Dunkard,"  or  "  Dunkards,"  is 
used  by  two  classes  of  persons.     The  first,  those  who  are 


12  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

either  too  ignorant  to  know  or  do  not  care  for  the  laws 
of  language ;  and,  secondly,  by  those  who  do  know  and 
want  to  use  it  with  its  true  meaning  of  contempt.  Accord- 
ing to  the  laws  of  language  the  word  "  Dunkard  "  is  a 
hybrid,  and,  therefore,  should  not  be  used  by  anyone  who 
desires  good  English.  The  root  is  derived  from  the  Ger- 
man, dunken,  and  the  suffix,  ard,  is  from  the  French  and 
always  carries  with  it  the  idea  of  contempt,  in  such  words 
as  blackard,  drunkard,  laggard,  etc.  The  word  "  Dunk- 
ard,"  therefore,  should  be  used  only  by  the  ignorant  and 
the  malicious.  There  are  other  names,  localisms  of  earlier 
times,  not  used  now. 

For  the  origin  of  the  Brethren  church,  we  must  go  back 
to  the  German  Fatherland,  the  place  of  so  many  scenes  of 
religious  devotion  and  conflict.  For,  as  a  religious  coun- 
try, Germany  stands  unique,  and  in  the  summing  up  of 
its  religious  interests  and  activities,  is  without  parallel  in 
the  annals  of  history — the  length  of  time  of  its  religious 
history,  its  extreme  and  diversified  character  of  doctrine, 
its  orthodoxy  and  heterodoxy,  its  mysticism,  rationalism 
and  materialism,  its  bitterness  of  ecclesiastical  antagonism, 
at  times,  its  blind  following  of  dogma,  and,  at  other  times, 
its  activity  in  a  sincere  and  pious  and  intelligent  devotion 
to  Christianity.  These  things  will  always  mark  Germany 
as  a  vast  and  most  fruitful  field  for  the  student  of  church 
history.  In  this  land,  the  home  of  the  Reformation,  and 
in  the  midst  of  this  history  and  these  surroundings,  was 
born  the  Brethren  church. 

It  is  to  be  sincerely  hoped  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant 
when  some  earnest  German  student  and  investigator  will 
give  us  a  complete  and  intelligent  history  of  the  times  and 
conditions  and  circumstances  that  contributed  to  the  birth 
and  development  of  the  new  denomination,  but  a  few  facts 


Story  of  the  Reformation.  13 

and  dates  must  suffice  as  a  proper  introduction  to  that  part 
of  the  history  assigned  to  the  present  writer. 

The  story  of  the  Reformation  is  a  marvelous  one.  The 
intense  activity  and  wonderful  progress  of  the  reform  in- 
fluences stirred  to  the  very  utmost  the  antagonism  of  the 
Catholic  church.  To  counteract  the  influences  of  the 
Reformation  and  to  stop  its  rapid  progress  throughout 
northern  Europe,  the  Catholic  church  concentrated  its  en- 
tire energy  to  the  development  and  spread  of  Jesuitism. 
"  Its  object  is  not  to  lead  souls  to  a  life-giving  communion 
with  their  Saviour,  but  only  to  secure  obedience  to  the 
Church  and  to  increase  the  adherents  to  the  Papacy."  It 
seems  sad  to  contemplate  what  a  great  change  had  been 
brought  about  in  a  hundred  years  from  the  time  of  the 
Reformation.  The  organized  power  of  the  church  had 
been  brought  into  requisition.  Is  it  too  strong  a  picture 
to  quote  the  words  of  Baur :  "  A  century  after  the  Refor- 
mation, and  even  earlier,  Germany  presented  a  mournful 
spectacle.  Jesuitism  pressed  like  an  incubus  on  the  na- 
tional mind,  and  even  when  Luther's  teaching  still  pre- 
vailed, it  was  forgotten  that  the  Christian  calling  consists 
of  sincere  faith,  and  of  a  life  which  originates  therein. 
Even  in  the  Protestant  church  faith  was  in  danger  of  be- 
coming a  mere  intellectual  assent ;  pure  doctrine  had  as- 
sumed the  form  of  law ;  there  was  a  zeal  in  the  defense 
of  it  with  which  zeal  for  a  life  of  love  did  not  keep 
pace."  The  existence  of  such  extreme  conditions  must 
soon  produce  a  reaction  of  far-reaching  and  permanent 
results.  We  do  not  have  to  wait  long  for  the  change. 
Out  of  the  darkness  two  powerful  voices  were  heard. 
In  due  time  all  Germany  listens  to  their  earnest  exhorta- 
tions. The  first  of  these  was  Johann  Arndt  (b.  1555  ;  d. 
162 1),   the  pious   author  of    True    Christianity   (Wahres 


14  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

Christenthum),  popular  still,  after  a  lapse  of  300  years. 
The  second  was  Jacob  Boehme  (b.  1575  ;  d.  1624),  a 
dreamer  and  noted  mystic  writer,  and  perhaps  the  father 
of  the  mystic  philosophy  of  the  17th  century.  There  was 
profound  interest  taken  in  the  writings  of  these  two  men, 
and  the  results  produced  were  as  diversified  as  the  doctrines 
they  advocated.  There  began  a  new  era  of  agitation  and 
spiritual  unrest  and  the  ecclesiastical  power  was  ready  to 
punish  all  who  dared  to  express  their  convictions  at  vari- 
ance with    the   doctrines  of 

£errn  3i)l)<inn  Krnbrf/  any  ot  the  three  established 

2**  corral, ««*«~™«  w  m<*t™t         churches.     While  there  was 

<5(iintlld)«(5JifTrfi(i)e23ii*fC  rniJ        rihinlistir      form  slit  v 

25om^Oi)rcit  COld'     ntuallstlc    formality, 


ftffcifpti 


there  was  some  active  piety, 
and  there  was  also  some  wild 
fciifomfrsufif/  kiquricsK ■*  wi  ub«  w*  eswbe     religious    excess    by    those 

unbroal)tfm^laub«n/au(t)bft!i^m£rtxnunl>SSanNl  °  ,     . 

a*.*. .,i*StJ/&^.*.    who  used  religion  as  a  cloak 
kn.M.<iii.iiM  for  their  maliciousness.     In 

mil  crtKUJluCm  «m*<ttcta  m»  Ma  «rfMwo)b  _     ,   ,  . 

oubeinft5<uf*ttij(iKiiSinifitun9Wii388.ata«m       the  midst  of  this  restless  con- 


<8uflai/  2)«dt9«  ««&»•  ^w«*  OanuKK. 


•?♦»• 


9«r«bie?.&4rtUift/  fusion' in  the  latter  half  of 

»  .,.   <1BM£"  **"*  ,—    «*-.—     the  17th  century,  there  came 

Unbwnrxfont*rn9tfflifhrn/  wmrtttlfl  bkukii  raft  '  -> 

"^SMgKEJ^^  upon    the    scene    of    action 

many  sincere  and  devoted 
men  and  great  leaders  of 
thought.  They  were  Pietists  in  principle,  in  the  better 
sense,  and  had  much  to  do  in  moulding  the  thought 
and  doctrine  of  their  generation  and  the  succeeding 
century. 

After  all  discussion  fro  and  con,  it  must  be  admitted  that 
Philip  Jacob  Spener  (b.  1635;  d.  1705)  was  the  father 
of  "Pietism,"  in  its  better  sense.  Though  he  remained 
in  communion  and  fellowship  with  the  Lutheran  church, 
his  energies  were  devoted  to  the  promulgation  of  the  best 


German  Pietism,  15 

thoughts  and  conceptions  of  "Pietism."  Another  leader 
that  has  enriched  the  world  by  his  practical  piety  and  be- 
nevolence was  August  Hermann  Francke  (b.  1663  ;  d. 
1727),  the  father  and  founder  of  the  famous  Halle  Institu- 
tions— the  Halle  Orphanage,  educational  institutions  and 
publishing  house.  As  an  estimate  of  these  two  men,  I  can 
do  no  better  than  quote  the  clear  and  concise  statement  of 
a  German  scholar  and  historian  :  "  The  Pietism  of  Spener 
and  Francke  was  a  religion  of  the  heart,  a  faith  which  was 
to  make  a  new  creature.  It  sought  entrance  into  the  heart 
to  cleanse  it  by  repentance,  and  to  create  in  it  a  new  life  of 
faith ;  it  sought  entrance  into  the  houses,  to  turn  them  into 
sanctuaries,  into  schools  to  transfer  the  doctrines  of  the 
catechism  from  the  head  to  the  heart,  and  into  the  abodes 
of  poverty  to  offer  the  consolations  of  the  Gospel."  *  Such 
was  Pietism  in  its  best  sense,  in  the  church,  but  unappre- 
ciated by  cold  and  unyielding  orthodoxy.  It  was  driven 
out  of  the  church.  Leaders  of  thought  were  by  no  means 
agreed  as  to  faith  and  doctrine.  All  had  their  following. 
To  the  above  might  be  added  the  names  of  Jeremias  Fel- 

binger  (b.  1616;  d.  );  Gottfried  Arnold  (b.  1666;  d. 

17 14)  ;  Ernst  Christoph  Hochmann  von  Hochenau  (b.  1670  ; 
d.  1721);  and  many  others,  each  one  earnest,  and  no  doubt 
a  firm  believer  in  the  doctrine  he  advocated ;  sharing  the 
love  of  their  friends  and  followers,  and  the  hate  of  their 
enemies  ;  and  each  one  contributing  his  share  towards  the 
breaking  up  of  the  stony  and  unfruitful  fields  of  orthodoxy. 
Many  sincere  men  felt  that  corruption  and  error  existed  in 
all  three  of  the  established  churches — Catholic,  Lutheran 
and  Reformed — and  that  such  corruption  can  be  cleansed 
and  error  corrected,  only  by  infusion  of  piety  and  spiritual 
life — a  life  of  faith    and    practical   benevolence.      They 

1  William  Baur,  Religious  Life  in  Germany. 


1 6  The  German  Baftist  Brethren. 

hoped  to   succeed  by  a   kind   of  destructive  method,  but 
failed  to  gauge  the  strength  of  the  ecclesiastical  power. 

It  required  brave  men  to  stand  up  and  say  that  the 
church  needed  to  be  reformed,  and  the  greater  the  bold- 
ness of  the  declaration,  the  more  the  church  resented  such 
declarations.  There  was  antagonism,  dismissal,  retaliation 
and  bitter  strife.  Such  were  some  of  the  conditions  from 
within.  And  some  who  escaped  from  the  ritualism  and  the 
oppression  of  ecclesiastical  power,  went  wild  in  the  other 
extreme,  and  declared  against  all  organization  and  all 
ordinances.  There  were  lawless  men,  and  so  Pietism  was 
regarded  as  a  strange  aggregation  of  all  religions  and  ir- 
religion.  Persecution  was  rife.  Civil  and  ecclesiastical 
powers  combined  to  mete  out  just  and  unjust  punishment 
to  the  guilty  and  the  innocent.  Many  sincere  and  earnest 
souls  suffered  untold  hardships  and  punishment  and  torture. 
Many  turned  away  into  rationalism  and  unbelief.  But  there 
were  braver  souls  than  all  these,  in  whose  hearts  burned  the 
unquenchable  desire  for  deeper  spiritual  life.  They  had 
sought  in  vain  in  the  church,  and  turned  away  with  other 
Pietists  only  to  find  themselves  still  unsatisfied  and  uncom- 
forted.  They  saw  the  whole  field  of  chaos,  strife  and  con- 
fusion, but  they  had  hope  in  their  hearts  and  they  saw  the 
dawn  of  the  coming  day.  They  bravely  faced  their  per- 
secutors, turned  to  the  Bible  for  comfort  and  in  earnest 
prayer  to  the  Lord  for  guidance.  Among  these  were  those 
in  whose  history  we  are  especially  interested. — Earnest 
Seekers  After  the  Truth. 


BRETHREN   CHURCH   AND    PARSONAGE,    GERMANTOWN. 


stituted. 


CHAPTER    II. 
The  Organization  of  the  Brethren. 

N  noticing  this  organization,  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  me  to  give  a  better  description 
than  that  given  us  by  eye-witnesses,  mostly  by 
Alexander  Mack,  Sen.,  the  first  minister  and 
organizer  of  the  Brethren  church  as  now  con- 
This  account  was  originally  published  as  a  Pre- 
face to  a  small  edition  of  Alexander  Mack's  Exposition 
and  Defense  of  New  Testament  Doctrine.  This  exposi- 
tion was  first  circulated  (probably  in  manuscript)  in  July, 
1713  ;  a  German  edition  was  printed  in  America  in  1774 ; 
an  English  edition  followed  in  1810;  and  an  English  and 
German  edition  in  i860.  Strange  to  say  the  book  has 
been  out  of  print  for  many  years,  and  copies  of  the  earlier 
editions  are  now  very  rare.  I  quote  from  the  edition  of 
1810: 

81  It  pleased  God  in  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  to 
cause  his  saving  grace  to  be  experienced,  and  the  voice  of 
his  mercy  to  be  heard  by  many,  stirring  them  up  to  repen- 
tance, and  awakening   them  from  the  sleep  and   death  of 

(i7) 


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The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 


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Schwartzenau,  19 

sin  to  seek  salvation  and  permanent  rest  in  Jesus,  who, 
viewing  at  the  same  time  the  general  defection  and  depar- 
ture from  the  genuine  principles  of  Christianity?  and  feel- 
ing their  minds  devoutly  pressed,  and  inclined  to  bear  a 
testimony  to  the  truth ;  and  for  this  purpose  private  meet- 
ings were  established,  for  the  edification  and  building  up 
of  the  newly  awakened  souls ;  this  laudable  undertaking, 
which  however  soon  powerfully  opposed  by  the  jealous 
and  embittered  ecclesiastics,  influencing  the  earthly  power 
and  commencing  a  series  of  persecution  in  various  places, 
namely  :  in  Switzerland,  in  Wurtemberg,  in  the  Palatinate 
and  at  Hesse  Cassel,  where  they  were  cast  out  as  exiles ; 
but  the  Lord  provided  for  them  a  place  of  rest,  or  security, 
in  Wittgenstein,  under  the  protection  of  a  prince,  eminent 
for  his  moderation,  where  also  the  awakening  power  of 
God  had  previously  found  its  way  to  the  hearts  of  some 
honorable  females  of  his  court ;  there  at  a  place  called 
Schwartzenau,  in  the  vicinity  of  Berlenberg,  liberty  of 
conscience  was  graciously  afforded  them.  Wittgenstein, 
though  a  rough  and  barren  country,  by  becoming  the  place 
of  refuge  to  the  awakened,  who  now  very  generally  re- 
sorted to  Schwartzenau,  became  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years  a  place  of  considerable  repute,  though  otherwise 
little  thought  of. 

"  Of  the  number  that  collected  here,  there  were  few  of 
different  opinions,  habits  and  manners ;  they  were  all  de- 
nominated Pietists,  but  they  considered  each  other  as  breth- 
ren ;  here  circumstances  very  soon  occurred  which  led  to 
conclude  that  the  salutatory  counsel  of  our  Lord,  Matthew 
18,  '  if  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his 
fault  between  thee  and  him  alone,  etc.,'  is  not  acceptable,  or 
practicable,  where  a  fraternity  is  unorganized  by  obedience 
to  the  truths  of  the  gospel ;   here   also  some  turned  back 


20  The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 

again  to  the  religion  from  whence  they  came  out,  being 
offended  at  the  discipline  of  the  cross  ;  others  fostered  a  spirit 
of  libertinism,  more  to  be  dreaded  in  its  consequences  than 
their  former  depravity ;  there  were  some,  however,  who, 
notwithstanding  this  state  of  perturbation,  were  sincerely 
desirous  of  finding  the  footsteps  of  the  primitive  Christians 
and  following  and  imitating  the  example  of  Jesus  Christ; 
and  apprehend  and  appreciate  the  testimony  and  commands 
of  the  head  of  the  Church ;  being  fully  convinced  of  the 
necessity  of  faith  and  obedience,  in  order  to  the  obtaining 
salvation ;  their  solicitude  paved  the  way  to  the  discovery 
of  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  which  they  considered  as  the 
door  to  that  union  and  organization  which  they  earnestly 
desired.  The  subject  of  baptism  underwent  various  dis- 
cussions among  the  Pietists  and  spoken  of  in  such  manner 
as  to  grieve  the  hearts  of  lovers  of  truth. 

"Till  in  the  year  1708,  eight  persons  entered  into  a 
covenant  with  each  other,  by  the  help  of  God,  to  endeavor 
to  attain  to  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  by  rendering 
obedience  to  all  the  commands  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  fol- 
low him  as  their  good  shepherd  and  leader  through  good 
and  evil  report.  Those  eight  persons,  of  whom  five  were 
brethren,  and  three  sisters  (the  names  of  the  Brethren 
were  as  follows :  George  Graby  and  Lucas  Fetter,  of 
Hesse  Cassel ;  Alexander  Mack,  of  Schreisheim,  in  the 
Palatinate  ;  Andrew  Bony,  of  Basle,  in  Switzerland,  and 
John  Kipping,  from  Wurtemberg  ;  and  the  names  of  the 
sisters  were  Johanna  Bony,  Anna  Margaretta  Mack  and 
Johanna  Kipping),  covenanted  with  each  other  as  brethren 
and  sisters  under  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to 
dwell  together  in  the  unity  of  faith,  as  a  society ;  by  con- 
sulting history,  they  found  that  the  primitive  Christians  in 
the  first  and  second  centuries  uniformly  were  according  to 


Practice  of  Primitive  Christians.  21 

the  command  of  Christ  planted  into  the  likeness  of  his 
death  by  a  baptism  in  water  by  a  three-fold  immersion ; 
not  resting  their  faith  however  upon  the  authority  of  his- 
tory, they  searched  the  scriptures  of  the  New  Testament, 
and  finding  explicit  testimony  to  that  import,  they  became 
desirous  of  practicing  a  means  so  strongly  recommended 
by  the  example  of  our  Lord,  and  emphatically  enjoined 
by  his  written  precept,  believing  that  it  became  them  thus 
to  fulfill  all  righteousness. 

"  But  who  should  now  administer  the  ordinance  to  them 
was  a  difficulty  not  soon  got  over.  One  of  their  number, 
who  labored  among  them  in  the  Word,  visited  the  soci- 
eties in  different  parts  of  Germany  to  collect  the  opinion 
of  the  awakened  generally  upon  the  subject  of  baptism  ; 
the  greater  number  acknowledged  that  immersion  was  the 
mode  practiced  by  the  Apostles  and  primitive  Christians, 
but  still  endeavoring  to  satisfy  themselves  that  a  handful 
of  water  by  pouring  would  answer  the  same  end,  provided 
it  was  administered  to  proper  subjects  only. 

1 'The  consciences  of  the  before-mentioned  could,  how- 
ever, find  no  satisfaction  in  these ;  they  therefore  desired 
him  who  was  their  minister  to  baptize  them  by  immersion, 
according  to  the  example  and  practice  of  the  first  and  best 
Christians  and  all  primitive  believers.  He  felt  a  diffidence 
to  comply  with  their  request  on  account  of  his  not  being 
baptized  himself;  he  desired,  therefore,  first  to  be  bap- 
tized before  he  could  conscientiously  baptize  any  of  them. 
They  betook  themselves  to  fasting  and  prayer,  in  order  to 
obtain  help  and  direction  in  this  case  from  Him  who  is  the 
restorer  of  paths  to  dwell  in,  for  they  were  all  desirous  to 
be  baptized.  In  this  dilemma  a  testimony  of  Scripture 
revived  in  their  minds  :  '  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered 
together  in  My  Name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst.'     Where- 


22  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

fore,  with  an  unshaken  confidence  in  the  precious  promise 
of  God,  they  cast  lots  which  of  the  four  brethren  should 
baptize  him  who  was  so  anxiously  desirous  of  being  bap- 
tized ;  they  pledged  their  word  at  the  same  time  that  it 
should  remain  a  secret  upon  whom  the  lot  fell,  that  no  one 
might  take  occasion  to  call  the  society  by  the  name  of  any 
man,  as  was  the  case  with  the  Corinthian  church,  which 
was  sharply  reproved  by  the  apostle. 

11  The  crisis  for  the  camp  to  move  forward  was  now  ar- 
rived ;  they  were  now  made  willing  in  the  day  of  the 
Lord's  power.  Accordingly,  they  went  out  in  the  morn- 
ing to  a  stream  called  the  Aeder,  and  there  he  upon  whom 
the  lot  had  fallen  baptized  the  brother  who  had  discovered 
so  great  anxiety  to  submit  to  that  ordinance ;  this  being 
done,  he  was  now  acknowledged  as  duly  qualified.  He 
baptized  him  first  by  whom  he  had  been  baptized,  and  the 
remaining  three  brethren  and  three  sisters.  Thus  were 
these  eight,  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  baptized  in 
the  water  by  a  triune  immersion ;  and  after  they  came  up 
out  of  the  water  and  had  changed  their  clothes,  they  were 
filled  with  joy,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  this  expression 
was  revived  in  their  minds  with  peculiar  energy :  '  Be  ye 
fruitful  and  multiply.'  This  is  recorded  to  have  occurred 
in  the  before-mentioned  year,  without  reference  to  month 
or  day. 

"  After  this  evidence  of  their  love  to  God,  by  obeying 
his  command,  they  were  powerfully  strengthened  and  en- 
couraged to  bear  testimony  for  the  truth  in  their  public 
meetings,  to  which  the  Lord  added  His  blessing,  and 
believers  were  more  and  more  obedient,  so  that  in  the  short 
space  of  seven  years  their  society  became  numerous,  not 
only  at  Schwartzenau,  but  also  at  divers  places  in  the  Palat- 
inate.    A  society  was  likewise  formed  at  Marienborn,  to 


Persecution  and  Poverty.  23 

which  the  awakened  from  the  Palatinate  attached  them- 
selves, for  in  endeavoring  to  form  a  society  for  themselves, 
they  were  persecuted  and  banished.  And  even  at  Marien- 
born  their  external  privileges  were  soon  blasted,  for  as  the 
light  diffused  itself  the  truth  spread,  and  their  numbers 
increased ;  it  excited  alarm  and  envy ;  persecution  arose ; 
they  were  driven  out  as  exiles,  and  under  the  direction  of 
providence  found  an  asylum  at  Crefeldt,  under  the  juris- 
diction of  the  King  of  Prussia. 

"  Within  this  short  space  of  time,  it  pleased  God  to 
awaken  many  laborers  among  them,  and  send  them  into 
His  vineyard,  whose  names  and  places  of  abode  are  as  fol- 
lows :  John  H.  Kalkloser  from  Frankenthal ;  Christian 
Libe  and  Abraham  Dubois  from  Epstein ;  John  Nass  and 
others  from  the  North  ;  Peter  Becker  from  Dilsheim  ;  John 
H.  Traut  and  his  brothers  ;  Henry  Holtzappel  and  Stephen 
Koch  ;  George  B.  Gantz  from  Umstadt,  and  Michael  Eck- 
erlin  from  Strassburg ;  the  greater  number  of  whom  re- 
sorted to  Crefeldt ;  some  few,  however,  attached  themselves 
to  the  society  at  Schwartzenau.  But  as  they  found  favor 
with  God  and  man,  so  enemies  of  the  truth  were  found, 
and  persecutions,  because  of  the  word,  were  instituted  in 
divers  places ;  here  then  were  those  who  took  joyfully 
upon  them  the  spoiling  of  their  goods ;  others  experienced 
bonds  and  imprisonments  for  years,  some  also  for  shorter 
periods  ;  one  of  their  number  was  confined  on  board  of  the 
gallies,  and  coupled  at  the  galling  bar  with  execrable  mis- 
creants ;  from  these  distresses  they  in  time  were  all  con- 
scientiously delivered,  their  lives  being  given  unto  them 
for  a  prey. 

"  The  persecutions  which  they  suffered,  the  poverty,  trib- 
ulation and  imprisonment  that  they  experienced,  only  made 
them  the  more  joyful,  and  they  became  prepared  for  new 


24 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren 


dispensations  of  trial ;  their  graces  were  tried  by  being 
arraigned  before  another  tribunal,  men  of  learning  and 
abilities  proved  them  with  hard  questions,  with  a  view  to 
sap  their  steadfastness  with  questions  to  the  number  of 
forty,  which  the  reader  will  find  proposed,  with  their  solu- 
tions towards  the  sequel  of  this  treatise. 

"  About  that  time  it  was  deemed  expedient  to  issue  this 
for  the  instruction  of  the  uninformed,  in  which  every  im- 
partial and  unprejudiced  reader  will  find  sufficient  matter 
connected  with  this  Preface  to  justify  the  occasion  of  this 
production." 


Y," 


THE   MORRIS   HOUSE,    GERMANTOWN. 


3  O 

>  n: 

_  ^ 

s  g 


THE   OLD   MARKET  SQUARE   IN   GERMANTOWN. 


CHAPTER  III. 


The  First  Emigration  to  America. 
Persecution. 


-A  Period  of 


HAT  childlike  faith  and  unfaltering  trust ! 
Such  pious  devotion  was  the  seed  of  a 
church.  What  self-forgetfulness !  It 
was  early  in  the  morning,  in  1708  ;  this 
is  all  we  know.  The  day  and  the  month 
are  studiously  avoided.  They  covenanted  not  to  reveal  the 
name  of  the  one  who  baptized  the  leader,  and  they  kept 
their  vow  ;  we  shall  never  know  on  whom  the  lot  fell.  They 
had  travelled  over  Germany  to  collect  the  opinion  of  the 
awakened  upon  the  subject  of  baptism,  they  had  diligently 
searched  history  for  Apostolic  and  primitive  Christian  prac- 
tice, they  prayerfully  studied  the  New  Testament ;  there 
was  but  one  conclusion.  The  crisis  came  and  the  camp 
moved  forward.  They  knew  the  consequences  but  they 
faltered  not.  Alexander  Mack  was  not  the  "  founder"  of 
the  Brethren  church  as  some  say,  but,  being  an  evangelist 
of  note,  he  was  the  natural  leader  and  was  chosen  as  the 
first  minister.     Blessing  and  prosperity  followed  the  new 

(25) 


26  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

congregation,  and  converts  were  added  in  such  numbers 
as  to  arouse  the  spirit  of  envy  in  the  established  churches ; 
opposition  and  persecution  were  at  once  instituted.  The 
twenty-one  years  of  the  church's  existence  in  Germany 
were  eventful  years.  We  know  the  struggle,  but  history 
is  silent  on  many  things  we  should  like  to  know.  The 
Schwartzenau  congregation  flourished  and  in  seven  years 
the  society  was  numerous.  There  was  a  congregation  es- 
tablished at  Marienborn,  to  which  the  awakened  from  the 
Palatinate  attached  themselves.  These  members  were  all 
driven  out  as  exiles,  but  found  a  refuge  or  asylum  at  Cre- 
feld,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  King  of  Prussia,  whence 
also  came  the  congregation  from  Epstein.  Notwithstand- 
ing fines  and  imprisonments,  cast  out  of  their  homes,  and 
driven  from  province  to  province,  they  increased  in  num- 
bers constantly.  They  found  temporary  refuge  in  Prussia, 
Holland  and  Switzerland,  but  there  was  no  promise  of  an 
abiding  place  anywhere.  Their  persecutors  pressed  them 
hard  everywhere.  Finally  their  hearts  almost  sank  within 
them.  Regretfully,  they  turned  their  eyes  away  from  the 
beloved  "  Faderland  "  and  looked  wistfully,  hopefully,  to 
the  land  of  promise  in  the  New  World.  Brave  souls  those, 
who,  in  those  days,  could  face  the  horrors  of  an  ocean 
voyage,  in  unseaworthy,  comfortless,  death-breeding  old 
hulks.  But  there  was  hope  beyond,  as  an  anchor  to  their 
souls.  Did  they  not  count  the  cost,  nor  measure  the  sacri- 
fice? They  could  not  realize  all,  but  they  trusted  Him 
whom  they  followed,  and  for  His  sake  they  were  willing  to 
endure  all  things.  The  uncivilized  Indian  was  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  the  enemies  at  home,  inhospitable  shores  to  a  land 
of  persecution  ;  they  would  find  some  new  friends  for  those 
they  left  behind,  and  at  great  sacrifice,  they  would  have 
other  homes  for  those  of  their  childhood.     The  enjoyment 


Seeking  Freedom. 


27 


of  religious  liberty,  in  the  "  province  of  peace,"  would  pay 
for  all  they  leave  behind,  and  all  they  should  endure,  and 
the  darkness  of  the  hour  of  the  sacrifice  of  all  things, 
proved  to  be  just  preceding  the  dawn  of  the  day  of  their 
salvation. 

And  so  was  thrust  out  from  a  nation  this  people,  and  we 
have  the  unique  example  in  history  of  the  emigration  of  an 
entire  religious  denomination ;  but  we  shall  see  how  their 
literature,  their  religious  activity,  their  pious  devotion  and 
spiritual  influence  have  enriched  Pennsylvania  history. 


Seeking    Religious    Freedom  and    Liberty    of 

Conscience. 

Crefeld  was  destined  to  furn- 
ish the  first  company  of  faithful 
for  the  voyage  of  faith.  Here 
there  had  been  many  trials  and 
scenes  of  persecution  and  many 
were  now  ready  to  do  anything 
or  go  anywhere,  so  there  was 
but  the  assurance  of  religious 
freedom  and  liberty  of  con- 
science. To  these  people  the 
endearments  of  home  remained 
*  only  as  a  sad  memory — they 
were  all  exiles  and  pilgrims  among  strangers  and  enemies. 
The  story  of  this  journey  and  voyage  to  America,  so  mo- 
mentous in  its  results,  is  briefly  told.  The  company  consis- 
ted of  about  twenty  families,  it  is  said,  and  organized  with 
Peter  Becker  as  their  leader.  He  was  a  minister  at  Crefeld 
and  is  known  as  a  man  gifted  in  prayer  with  earnestness 
and  fervency,  and  as  a  sweet  singer,  but  not  noted  as  a 
preacher.     They  came  in  the  year  17 19  ;  that  is  almost  all 


28 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 


we  know.  The  voyage  is  said  to  have  been  a  stormy  one, 
which  is  likely  true.  Landing  at  Philadelphia,  the  pro- 
cession moved  to  Germantown,  the  place  that  was  to  be  so 
inseparably  connected  with  their  future  history.  It  would 
be  exceedingly  interesting  to  know  the  names  of  all  of 
those  that  composed  this  company,  but  we  must  be  satisfied 
with  the  names  of  those  that  sat  at  the  love-feast  and  com- 
munion service,  four  years  later. 

The  principal  settlement  was  made  in  Germantown,  while 
small  settlements  were  made  at  distant  points — some  scat- 
tering to  Skippack,  Falckner's  Swamp  and  Oley.  There 
were  new  experiences  awaiting  these  hardy  pioneers,  as 
they  marched  forth  into  the  primeval  forests.  The  reliance 
upon  God,  taught  them  in  the  school  of  bitter  persecution, 

no  doubt  served  as  their 
support  and  comfort  in 
many  a  new  trial  and 
dark  hour.  They  were 
face  to  face  with  a  series 
of  struggles.  They  were 
struggling  to  conquer 
the  forest  wilds,  to 
make  them  fruitful  fields. 
They  were  struggling  to 
establish  homes.  They 
were  struggling  to  adapt 
themselves  to  new  and 
strange  conditions  and 
circumstances  in  life.  And,  above  all,  they  were  struggling 
to  adjust  religious  differences  and  prejudices  that  marred 
their  fellowship  and  prevented  their  united  effort  in  Chris- 
tian work.  But  Germantown  was  from  the  first  the  leading 
settlement  and  was  destined  to  become  the  great  center  of 


Religious  Differences.  29 

religious  influence  and  activity  for  the  next  century  and  a 
half.  It  is  readily  understood,  therefore,  why  German- 
town  and  its  great  religious  activities  should  receive  special 
consideration,  since  the  history  of  Germantown  for  the  first 
one  hundred  years  is  really  the  history  of  the  church. 
Here  were  the  ablest  ministers  and  the  most  gifted  hymn- 
writers — from  here  came  the  Bibles  and  hymn-books  and 
the  greatest  missionary  enterprise. 

It  is  sometimes  sad  to  record  the  facts  of  history,  and  it 
may  seem  sad  to  some  to  record  this  fact  of  religious  dif- 
ferences among  the  first  Brethren  in  America,  and  the  con- 
sequent first  three  years  of  spiritual  drought.  Historians 
have  seized  the  opportunity  of  speaking  of  "  jealousies  and 
bickerings "  among  themselves,  without  stopping  to  con- 
sider reasons  or  results.  In  considering  the  religious  con- 
dition at  this  time,  it  is  necessary  to  make  a  careful  inquiry 
into  the  cause  or  causes,  in  order  that  we  may  understand 
future  results.  To  the  careful  student  and  the  impartial 
investigator,  it  is  gratifying  to  know  that  differences  in 
views  produced  discord  among  them,  or  at  least  lack  of 
full  fellowship.  It  only  proves  that  the  real  spirit  of  the 
Brethren  church  was  at  variance  with  the  mystic  influences 
and  all  kindred  forms  of  error  which  some  had  absorbed 
in  Germany.  Crefeld  was  a  general  asylum  for  the  per- 
secuted and  among  the  refugees  all  shades  of  belief  ob- 
tained. Some  of  the  Brethren  did  not  wholly  escape  the 
influence  of  the  disciples  of  Boehme.  There  was  pro- 
longed trouble  in  the  Crefeld  congregation.  The  members 
discussed  their  differences  while  crossing  the  ocean,  and  the 
agitation  was  kept  up  after  they  came  here,  and  in  fact,  con- 
tinued until  some  left  the  communion  of  the  church.  These 
things  hindered  the  work  for  three  years,  and  saddened 
many  hearts,  but  the  worst  is  yet  to  be  told  in  the  years  to 


3o 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 


come.  There  were  earnest  souls  praying  for  relief  from 
this  spiritual  famine,  and  the  Lord  soon  answered  in  re- 
freshing showers  of  spiritual  awakening,  and  we  are  about 
to  record  a  most  important  event  in  the  religious  history  of 
Pennsylvania. 


AN   ANCIENT  GERMANTOWN   GRIST   Mil,!,. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Gathering  the  First  Fruits  in  America. 

OR  several  years  after  their  arrival  there 
was  no  religious  effort  made  by  them,  but  in 
the  fall  of  1722  several  of  the  Germantown 
brethren — Becker,  Gommere,  Gantz  and  the 
Trauts — visited  the  scattered  Brethren.  In 
the  fall  of  the  following  year  there  was  an  occurrence 
which  finally  bridged  over  their  separation  and  brought 
them  to  organize  themselves  into  a  church.  This  event 
was  the  application  of  six  "  persons  on  the  Schuylkill  " 
for  baptism.  These  "  persons  on  the  Schuylkill"  lived 
thirty-five  miles  up  the  river,  and  comprised  Martin  Urner 
and  his  wife  and  four  neighbors.  This  organization  of 
the  Germantown  church  and  baptism  of  these  first  six  con- 
verts took  place  on  the  25th  day  of  December,  1723. * 

The  Chronicon  Efhratense  gives  the  following  ac- 
count: "  In  August  of  the  year  1723  a  rumor  was  spread 
through  the  country  that  Christ.  Libe,  a  famous  Baptist 
teacher  who  had  long  been  in  the  galleys,  had  arrived  in 
Philadelphia.     This  moved  some  newly  awakened  persons 

1  See  Urner  Family,  p.  9  ;  Isaac  N.  Urner,  U,.D  ,  Philadelphia,  1893. 

(31) 


32  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

on  the  Schuylkill  to  go  forth  to  meet  him.  The  whole 
thing,  however,  was  a  fiction.  These  persons  were  per- 
suaded by  the  Baptist  (Brethren)  to  go  with  them  to  their 
meeting,  during  and  after  which  they  heard  so  much  of  the 
Germans'  awakening  that  they  went  home  very  much  edi- 
fied. Soon  after  a  second  visit  was  made  to  Germantown, 
by  which  both  parties  were  so  much  edified  that  the  Ger- 
man Baptists  (Brethren)  promised  them  a  visit  in  return, 
which  they  made  four  weeks  afterwards  with  great  bless- 
ing. The  newly  awakened  ones  were  thereby  stirred  up 
still  more,  so  that  they  begged  to  be  received  into  their 
communion  by  holy  baptism.  This  was  the  occasion  of 
important  proceedings  among  the  Brethren  in  German- 
town,  for  they  still  had  in  mind  the  misunderstandings 
which  had  arisen  between  them  and  their  brethren  at  Cre- 
feld.  Besides,  they  were  indeed  a  branch  of  a  congrega- 
tion, but  yet  not  a  congregation  that  dared  to  presume  to 
administer  the  sacraments.  The  worst  was  that  they  were 
divided  among  themselves  and  had  only  lately  commenced 
to  draw  nigh  to  one  another  again.  After  they  had  seriously 
pondered  over  all  these  things  in  the  spirit  they  finally 
agreed  to  consent  to  the  request.  Accordingly,  after  the 
candidates  for  baptism  had  chosen  Peter  Becker  as  their 
baptizer,  they  were  baptized  in  the  stream  Wiskohikung 
(Wissahickon),  near  Germantown,  on  December  25th,  of 
the  year  1723.  And  as  these  were  the  firstlings  of  all 
baptized  among  the  high  Germans  in  America,  their  names 
shall  be  here  recorded  and  given  to  posterity,  namely : 
Martin  Urner  and  his  female  housemate,  Henry  Landis 
and  his  housemate,  Frederick  Lang  and  Jane  Mayle.  The 
evening  following  they  held  the  first  love-feast  ever  cele- 
brated in  America  at  John  Gommere's,  which  created  a 
great  stir  among  the  people  of  that  neighborhood,  Peter 
Becker,  mentioned  before,  ministering  at  the  same. 


December  25,  1723.  33 

"  Through  such  a  Divine  happening  the  Baptists  (Breth- 
ren) in  Pennsylvania  became  a  congregation." 

The  importance  of  this  event  justifies  these  quotations 
and  extended  consideration.  To  Julius  F.  Sachse  belongs 
the  credit  of  working  out  many  an  interesting  fact  of  the 
early  history  of  the  Brethren  and  I  desire  to  quote  in 
this  connection  his  interesting  descriptive  sketch  of  the 
events  of  this  memorable  day  of  Organized  Beginnings  in 
America.  It  is  taken  from  his  excellent  volume,  issued 
lately,  entitled  German  Sectarians  in  Pennsylvania  (Phila- 
delphia, 1899). 

"  Returning  once  more  to  our  story,  it  was  on  the 
morning  of  Wednesday,  December  25,  1723  (Christmas 
Day),  that  a  number  of  German  settlers  who  had  located 
within  the  bounds  of  the  German  township,  wended  their 
way  towards  the  humble  weaver's  shop  where  Conrad 
Beissel  had  served  his  apprenticeship,  at  the  extreme  end 
of  the  borough  limits  in  what  was  known  as  Van  Bebbers- 
town.  History  has  unfortunately  failed  to  preserve  for 
posterity  the  exact  location  of  Becker's  humble  abode. 
This,  however,  is  but  of  secondary  importance.  We  know 
that  it  was  in  Van  Bebber's  township,  on  the  North  Wales 
road.  Tradition  strongly  points  to  the  vicinity  of  the  pres- 
ent church,  where  the  earliest  meetings  were  held.  How- 
ever, be  this  as  it  may,  upon  the  day  in  question  the  solemn 
scenes  which  took  place  on  the  Eder,  in  Germany,  fifteen 
years  before  were  to  be  repeated  here  in  the  western  world 
and  the  foundation  laid  for  a  new  Christian  denomination. 
The  seed  sown  in  Germany  was  to  be  transplanted  into 
our  virgin  land,  where  it  was  destined  to  take  root  and 
flourish  far  beyond  any  expectation  of  the  devout  band  on 
either  the  Eder  or  the  Wissahickon. 

"  It  was  a  typical  winter's  day,  the  air  crisp  and  cold, 


34  The  Ger?nan  Baptist  Brethren. 

the  sky  clear,  the  ground  hard  and  frozen,  with  a  thin 
covering  of  snow.  Many  were  the  sad  memories  of  the 
Fatherland  that  came  into  the  minds  of  these  pilgrims  in  a 
far-off  land,  as  they  plodded  over  the  frozen  ground ; 
separated,  as  it  were,  from  both  kin  and  church,  they 
thought  of  the  joyous  Christmas  at  home. 

11  The  day  was  a  well-chosen  one  for  their  object — the 
fervent  desire  to  organize  a  church  home  for  themselves, 
to  found  a  new  Christian  sect  in  the  New  World.  The 
series  of  devotional  meetings  held  by  Peter  Becker  and  his 
helpers  was  about  to  become  the  grain  of  seed  which  was 
to  bring  forth  a  mighty  tree  with  wide-spreading  root  and 
branches.  Their  aim  was  to  form  a  Gemeinde  or  com- 
mune of  their  own — to  give  them  the  benefit  of  religious 
instruction,  and  at  the  same  time  emancipate  them  from 
what  Falkner  calls  '  the  melancholy,  saturnine  Quaker 
spirit '  which  then  prevailed  in  the  province. 

"  It  was  well-nigh  noon  when  the  party  assembled  and 
devotional  exercises  were  commenced.  After  these  were 
over  it  was  found  that  there  were  present  seventeen  per- 
sons who  had  been  baptized  in  Europe,  viz.  :  Peter  Becker, 
Johann  Heinrich  Traut,  Jeremias  Traut,  Balser  Traut, 
Heinrich  Holzappel,  Johannes  Gumre,  Stephan  Koch, 
Jacob  Koch,  Johannes  Hildebrand,  Daniel  Ritter,  George 
Balzer  Gansz,  Johannes  Preisz,  Johannes  Kampfer,  Mag- 
dalena  Traut,  Anna  Gumre,  Maria  Hildebrand,  and 
Johanna  Gansz.  These  persons  proceeded  formally  to  or- 
ganize themselves  into  a  congregation,  and  constituted 
Peter  Becker  their  elder. 

"  Six  postulants  now  presented  themselves  and  asked  to 
be  baptized  as  by  Scripture  ordained,  and  then  received 
into  fellowship,  viz.  :  Martin  Urner,  his  wife,  Catherina 
Urner ;   Heinrich  Landes  and  his  wife ;    Friedrich  Lang 


The  First  Fruits.  35 

and  Jan  (Johannes)  Mayle.  Thus  they  became'the  first 
Anabaptists  among  the  high  Germans  in  America.  In  the 
church  records  this  band  of  converts  is  always  referred  to 
as  the  *  First  Fruits.'  The  immersion  took  place  the 
same  day.  After  a  noonday  meal  had  been  served  the 
party  went  in  solemn  procession  down  the  old  Indian  trail, 
which  led  from  the  North  Wales  road  to  a  ford  on  the 
Wissahickon,  and  thence  beyond  the  ridge  towards  the 
Schuylkill.  This  trail,  which  long  since  has  become  a 
public  highway,  was  known  north  of  the  township  line 
successively  as  Morgan's  and  Trullinger's'lane,  now  Car- 
penter Street.  South  of  the  dividing  line  the  trail  was 
successively  known  as  Gorgas,  Milner's,  Garseed's  and 
Kitchen's  lane.  The  course  of  the  creek  at  this  point 
makes  a  sharp  turn  and  here  comes 
nearest  to  Germantown.  The  dis- 
tance from  Bebberstown,  or  the 
upper  part  of  Germantown,  to  the 
Wissahickon  is  but  a  short  one. 
The  distance  traversed  by  the  party 
was  about  one  and  one-half  miles ; 
it  was  a  short  journey  for  the  sturdy 
Germans  of  that  day.  The  objec- 
tive point  of  the  party  was  a  level 
bank,  or  strip  of  land  on  the  estate  arms  of  canton  uri. 
of   Johannes    Gumre,    adjacent  to 

the  creek,  where  easy  access  could  be  had  to  the  flowing 
water.  The  ravine  of  the  Wissahickon  is  a  rugged  one, 
with  towering  rocks  upon  either  bank,  making  the  shore 
inaccessible,  except  in  a  few  places. 

"The  strip  of  land  in  question  is  about  two  hundred 
yards  north  of  Kitchen's  lane.  There  recession  of  the 
rocky  ravine  forms  a  space  large  enough  to  accommodate 


36  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

quite  a  respectable  number  of  people.  While  the  rocks 
are  covered  with  evergreens,  the  alluvial  soil  on  the  bank 
has  fostered  the  growth  of  the  catalpa  and  other  deciduous 
trees.  In  former  days,  at  the  time  of  the  scene  we  are 
now  describing,  when  the  country  was  as  yet  covered  with 
a  fine  forest  growth,  a  rivulet  broke  over  the  rocky  wall  in 
the  background  and  formed  a  picturesque  waterfall  as  it 
leaped  from  rock  to  crag  in  its  wild  flight  down  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  ravine. 

"  When  the  party  reached  the  banks  of  the  Wissahickon 
the  afternoon  was  already  well  advanced,  so  little  time  was 
lost.  After  a  fervent  invocation  to  the  Throne  of  Grace 
and  the  reading  of  a  passage  from  Luke  xiv,  the  newly 
constituted  elder  entered  the  water  through  the  thin  ice, 
leading  by  the  hand  the  first  candidate.  This  was  Martin 
Urner,  a  native  of  Alsace,  who  had  been  brought  up  in 
the  Reformed  faith,  and  who,  together  with  his  two  broth- 
ers, for  a  short  time  had  been  members  of  the  Hermits  on 
the  Ridge. 

"The  scene  was  a  solemn  one.  The  small  procession 
on  their  way  to  the  creek  was  reinforced  by  some  of  the 
Hermits  from  the  heights  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream, 
and  some  others  who  were  attracted  out  of  curiosity,  so  that 
by  the  time  the  party  arrived  at  the  banks  of  the  frozen 
stream  the  company  was  quite  a  goodly  one — witnesses 
who  were  to  assist  by  their  presence  at  what  was  to  be  the 
founding  of  a  new  Christian  denomination  in  America. 

"  Clear  above  the  sound  of  the  rushing  waters  and  the 
rustle  of  leafless  branches  rose  the  solemn  German  invoca- 
tion and  the  singing  of  the  baptismal  hymn  composed  by 
Alexander  Mack,  *  Ueberschlag  die  Kost,  Spricht  Jesu 
Christ,  wann   du  den  Grund  wilt  legen.' ■     Numerous  as 

,"  Count  the  cost,  says  Jesus  Christ,  when  the  foundations  thou  wouldst  lay." 


The  Perfected  Congregation,  37 

had  been  the  mystic  rites  and  occult  incantations  held  on 
the  rugged  ravine  and  valley  of  this  stream  since  the  gentle 
Kelpius  and  his  band  settled  there  thirty  years  before,  none 
were  more  fervent  or  brought  so  great  and  lasting  results 
as  this  solemn  rite  upon  the  narrow  strip  of  rock-bound 
land  on  the  shore  of  the  Wissahickon.  There  stood  the 
administrator  deep  in  the  cold  water ;  before  him  knelt  the 
rugged  Alsatian ;  thrice  was  he  immersed  under  the  ice 
flood.  As  he  arose  the  last  time  the  Segenspruch  was 
pronounced  and  Martin  Urner  once  more  entered  the  mate- 
rial world  to  become  a  factor  in  the  religious  development 
of  his  adopted  country.  His  wife,  Catharina  Reist,  was 
the  next  candidate,  followed  by  the  other  four  persons,  the 
same  scenes  being  repeated  in  each  case. 

"  Long  before  the  solemn  rite  was  ended  the  winter  sun 
was  well  down  over  the  Schuylkill  hills  and  the  sky  cov- 
ered with  leaden  clouds.  The  party  now  proceeded  to  the 
house  of  Johannes  Gumre  where  dry  clothing  was  provided. 
In  the  evening  a  love-feast  was  held,  the  rite  of  foot-washing 
was  observed,  at  which  the  newly  constituted  elder  officiated 
as  a  token  of  his  humility.  This  was  followed  by  the 
breaking  of  the  bread  and  the  administration  of  the  Holy 
Communion,  and  was  partaken  of  by  the  seventeen  constit- 
uents and  the  six  newly  baptized  converts,  making  twenty- 
three  members  in  all. 

"  Thus  was  perfected  the  organization  of  the  first  '  Con- 
gregation of  the  Brethren  in  America.'  " 


AN  OU>  GERMANTOWN  LANDMARK. 


CHAPTER  V. 


Growth  of  the  Congregation. — Celebrating  His 
Birthday. 

HAT  a  scene  for  a  master's  hand  this  re- 
production of  "The  Last  Supper,"  and 
we  may  well  wish  that  it  might  have  been 
placed  upon  canvas  !  But  what  we  have 
is  enough,  and  we  are  devoutly  grateful. 
The  spiritual  blessings  which  we  enjoy  as  the  fruits  of  their 
labors  would  indeed  in  itself  be  enough.  Let  us  be  thank- 
ful for  each  fact  of  additional  interest.  It  was  Christmas 
Day.  What  an  appropriate  day  for  the  memorial  observ- 
ance of  the  Ordinances,  which  He  commanded.  To  that 
memorable  day  which  should  be  dear  to  the  heart  of  every 
Christian,  is  now  added  a  three-fold  interest  for  every 
member  of  the  Brethren  church  in  America,  viz.,  The 
First  Organization,  The  First  Baptism,  The  First  Love- 
feast  and  Communion  Service.  There  were  twenty-three 
persons  for  the  twenty-three  years  of  the  new  century,  sur- 

(38) 


Immediate  Results.  39 

rounding  the  Lord's  table.  What  a  gathering  from  two 
continents,  and  various  tongues  and  nations ;  and  the  ag- 
gregate number  of  miles  this  entire  company  travelled  in 
fleeing  persecution  and  coming  to  the  truth  and  this  blessed 
fellowship,  was  more  than  sixty  thousand  miles.  Not  only 
the  number  of  persons  that  were  there,  but  their  names,  are 
recorded,  and  what  history  they  have  made.  Of  the  origi- 
nal eight  at  Schwartzenau,  not  one  of  them  sat  at  this  table. 
The  Lord  in  His  providence  has  dealt  kindly  and  leads  us 
gently  on.  Not  only  have  we  the  day  and  date,  and  the 
facts  of  the  day,  and  the  number  of  persons,  and  the  names 
of  the  persons ;  but  Mr.  Julius  F.  Sachse  gives  us  the 
reasonable  assurance  of  the  identification  of  the  spot  where 
these  important  events  transpired.  If  so,  there  is  added  in- 
terest, as  the  present  writer  not  only  walked  in  their  footsteps 
over  the  historic  route  from  Germantown  and  stood  on  the 
banks  of  the  baptismal  pool  in  the  beautiful  Wissahickon, 
but  also  stood  within  the  walls  where  they  were  seated 
around  the  table  of  the  Lord.  These  ruined  walls  are  all 
that  is  left  of  the  once  comfortable  home  of  John  Gumre. 
Before  me  rolls  the  Wissahickon,  famous  in  story  and  song, 
while  on  the  hills  above  are  towering  forest  trees,  standing 
like  sentinels,  the  guardians  of  these  hallowed  scenes.  As 
I  stand  in  the  midst  of  these  reflections,  and  as  I  look  upon 
the  rugged  grandeur  around  me  and  into  the  historic  past, 
there  is  such  a  flood  of  inexpressible  thought  that  I  stand 
in  silence  and  look  up  in  mute  adoration. 

Immediate  Results. 
It  is  not  difficult  to  understand  that  there  were  immedi- 
ate results  from  these  wonderful  events  which  we  have  just 
cited,  as  well  as  remote  and  far-reaching.     The  immediate 
results  were  of  a  two-fold  character — internal  and  external. 


4° 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 


t     o 


Religious  Activity.  41 

The  effect  upon  the  membership  was  very  marked.  It 
was  a  visible  demonstration  of  the  Lord  answering  the  ear- 
nest prayers  of  the  faithful  ones.  Such  great  blessings 
brought  new  life  and  hope  to  the  congregation — indeed 
they  had  not  been  a  congregation  before.  The  desire  that 
all  might  enjoy  such  blessings  of  fellowship  as  they  en- 
joyed, was  intensified.  The  truth  must  now  be  spread. 
Missionary  enterprise  was  commenced.  It  has  already 
been  noted  above  that  these  memorable  Christmas-day 
scenes  "  created  a  great  stir  among  the  people  of  the 
neighborhood. "  Here  then  were  inside  and  outside  re- 
sults, incentives,  opportunities.  Steps  were  at  once  taken 
to  improve  these  favorable  opportunities,  but  the  "  winter 
proved  to  be  an  exceedingly  hard  and  stormy  one,  and  the 
meetings  were  discontinued  until  spring.  They  were  re- 
sumed early  in  May,  and  continued  with  great  success. 
Efforts  were  also  made  to  reach  and  influence  the  youth 
and  to  educate  them  in  matters  spiritually.  Many  were 
attracted  to  the  services  and  *  taught  to  walk  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  and  to  love  the  Brethren.'  As  the  fame  of 
this  awakening  spread  abroad  there  was  such  an  increase 
of  attendance  that  no  room  could  be  found  large  enough 
to  accommodate  the  worshippers  ;  so,  whenever  the  weather 
permitted,  the  assembly  was  held  in  the  open  air." 1 

There  was,  however,  another  immediate  result.  Such 
present  blessings  and  such  bright  prospects  for  the  future 
was  not  to  be  shared  alone  by  those  here  in  America. 
What  glad  news  this  will  be  to  send  across  the  ocean  and 
what  joy  it  will  bring  to  the  dear  brethren  and  sisters  in  the 
far-away  German  Fatherland.  They  shall  know  of  it  soon 
that  they  may  share  in  the  joy  of  this  good  news  and,  per- 
haps, be  induced  to  come  to  America  and  share  in  this 
promising  work. 

1  Account  of  German  Baptist  Brethren  in  German  Sectarians. 


42  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

A  Message  to  the  Home  Land. 
The  Chronicon  Efhratense  gives  the  following  interest- 
ing account  of  this  message  :  "  Under  these  circumstances 
they  deemed  it  well  to  make  a  detailed  report  of  this  new 
awakening  to  their  Brethren  in  Germany.  Therefore  they 
prepared  in  common  a  writing  addressed  to  them,  in  which 
they  informed  them  that  they  had  become  reunited  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  that  hereupon  a  great  awakening  had  re- 
sulted in  the  land,  which  was  still  daily  increasing ;  that 
of  the  awakened  several  had  joined  their  communion,  to 
which  they  had  to  consent,  as  they  dared  not  withstand 
the  counsels  of  God."  It  would  be  interesting  to  know  that 
message  in  full,  to  have  the  exact  words  and  know  the  real 
heartthrobs  that  pulsated  through  them,  but  we  shall  prob- 
ably never  know  more  than  we  know  now.  The  above 
quotation,  no  doubt,  gives  us  a  fair  conception  of  the  scope 
of  the  letter,  and  we  furthermore  know  the  effect  this  and 
other  reports  had  upon  the  Brethren  in  Germany.  We 
shall  notice  later  the  history  of  the  original  Schwartzenau 
congregation.  Two  Continents  are  now  interested  in 
the  struggles  in  this  new  and,  to  them,  unknown  world. 
Other  messages  go  from  time  to  time  to  the  Home  Land. 
The  earnest  prayers  from  both  sides  of  the  great  ocean 
strengthen  the  hearts  of  the  brave  leaders,  as  they  go  forth, 
over  the  hills  and  down  the  valleys,  through  the  forests  and 
across  the  rivers,  bearing  the  message  of  the  "  Man  of  Gal- 
lilee  " — for  he  said,  "  Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  na- 
tions, baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  Teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you  :  and,  lo,  I  am 
with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.     Amen."  1 

1  Matt.  28  :  19-20. 


SCENE  ON  MAIN  STREET,   GERMANTOWN. 


CHAPTER   VI 


Missionary   Enterprise    in   The    Brethren   Church. — A 
Missionary  Tour  to  Frontier  Points. 

HE  year  1724  was  destined  to  be  scarcely  less 
eventful  and  important  than  the  previous 
year.  No  one  who  is  a  careful  student  can 
dwell  upon  the  events  of  this  year  without 
feeling  that  they  were  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance to  the  German  pioneer  settlers  and  far-reaching  in 
their  influence  and  permanent  results.  It  was  deemed 
advisable  that  all  the  scattered  settlements  of  Brethren 
should  be  visited  at  once  and  brought  under  organized 
spiritual  influences.  For  this  purpose  a  missionary  party 
was  organized,  with  Peter  Becker  as  the  leader.  It  was 
the  first  of  a  series,  but  this — the  most  remarkable  mission- 
ary tour  to  the  frontier  in  all  Pennsylvania  colonial  his- 
tory— is  absolutely  without  parallel.  Leaving  industry 
and  loved  ones  behind,  these  pioneer  preachers  of  the  gos- 
pel, with  true  German  devotion  to  the  cause  they  loved, 
marched  forth,  seven  horsemen  and  seven  footmen.  It 
was  a  worthy  representation  of  the  importance  of  the  cause 
they'sought  to  establish,  as  well  as  a  worthy  representation 

(43) 


44  The  German  Baftist  Brethren. 

of  the  work  accomplished  in  their  continued  devotion. 
What  a  mission  was  theirs,  pushing  out  to  the  frontier 
lines  to  battle  with  callous  indifference  and  skepticism  or 
mysticism  and  materialism  among  their  fellow-countrymen. 
And  so  October  23,  1724,  was  a  memorable  day  for  the 
Germantown  settlement,  and  what  an  impressive  scene  it 
must  have  been  to  behold  the  gathering  of  the  company  of 
cavalry  and  infantry,  and  then  behold  the  company  as  it 
slowly  moved  out  of  the  settlement,  northward,  over  the 
old  Indian  trail.  The  scattered  settlers  have  gathered  in 
little  groups  here  and  there  to  discuss  the  journey  and  mis- 
sion of  their  neighbors  and  friends,  and  with  deep  interest 
watched  them  until  they  vanished  over  the  slopes  of  the 
distant  hills. 

From  the  description  of  "  The  German  Baptist  Breth- 
ren "  I  quote  the  following  i1  "  The  first  stop  was  made  in 
the  beautiful  Skippack  valley,  where  a  number  of  Germans 
had  settled.  Here  several  meetings  were  held  with  much 
success ;  thence  they  went  northward,  crossed  the  Perkio- 
men  and  continued  on  through  Providence  to  Falckner's 
Swamp,  where  a  halt  was  made  at  the  house  of  one  Al- 
bertus,  who,  it  appears,  was  in  communion  with  the  party. 
Here  revival  meetings  were  held,  which  closed  with  a 
Liebesmahl  in  the  evening,  followed  by  the  breaking  of 
bread ;  thence  they  journeyed  to  Oley,  in  Berks  county, 
near  Douglassville,  where  similar  work  was  done  with  the 
same  results.  From  Oley  the  party  went  southward  and 
crossed  the  Schuylkill,  going  direct  to  the  house  of  Martin 
Urner,  one  of  the  *  First  Fruits,'  who,  since  his  baptism, 
had  permanently  settled  in  Coventry,  Chester  county,  im- 
mediately opposite  the  present  town  of  Pottstown. 

"  On  the  next  day,  Saturday,  November  7,  1724,   *   *   * 

1  German  Sectarians. 


Coventry  Brethren.  45 

a  meeting  was  held  in  Urner's  house,  at  which  Elder 
Becker  presided.  Two  candidates  were  baptized  in  the 
Schuylkill,  and  the  ceremony  was  followed  by  the  usual 
love-feast  and  bread-breaking  in  the  evening. 

"  Upon  this  occasion  was  organized  the  Coventry  Breth- 
ren Church,  of  which  Martin  Urner  was  made  preacher. 
The  following  nine  persons  were  the  constituent  members  : 
Martin  Urner,  his  wife,  Catherine  Reist  Urner ;  Daniel 
Eicher  and  wife,  Henrich  Landes  and  wife,  Peter  Hoffly, 
Owen  Longanacre  and  Andrew  Sell. 

"  From  Coventry  the  revivalists  journeyed  towards  the 
Conestoga  country,  as  the  western  part  of  Chester  county 
was  then  known.  Upon  leaving  Urner's  the  party  divided, 
the  mounted  men  keeping  to  the  road  and  passing  the 
night  of  Monday,  November  9th,  at  the  house  of  Jacob 
Weber,  who  then  lived  in  the  Conestoga  valley,  evidently 
near  the  present  Weberstown,  in  Leacock  township.  Those 
on  foot  took  a  shorter  route,  probably  over  the  Welsh 
mountain,  and  stopped  at  the  house  of  Johannes  Graff. 
This  was  in  Earl  township,  at  what  is  now  known  as 
Graffsdale,  at  the  lower  end  of  Earl  township.  The  origi- 
nal tract  of  1,419  acres  was  situated  on  Graff's  run,  a 
branch  of  the  Muhlbach  (Mill  creek).  Johannes  Graff 
was  the  earliest  and  wealthiest  settler  in  the  vicinity.  The 
foundation-stones  of  the  cabin  which  he  built  in  17 18  are 
yet  to  be  seen  upon  the  property  of  a  lineal  descendant. 

"The  footmen  passed  the  night  under  the  hospitable 
roof  of  Johannes  Graff,  and  on  the  next  day  journeyed  to 
the  house  of  Hans  Rudolph  Nagele,  a  Mennonite  preacher, 
where  both  horse  and  footmen  again  united. 

"  The  night  was  passed  at  the  house  of  Stephen  Gal- 
liond.  Early  upon  the  next  day,  Wednesday,  November 
nth,  the  party  retraced  their  steps  and  journeyed  towards 


46  The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 

the  valley  of  the  Pequea  to  bring  about  an  awakening 
among  the  Mennonites  who  had  settled  there,  many  of 
whom  had  become  followers  of  the  seductive  Bauman  and 
his  noxious  *  Newborn '  teaching.  A  large  gathering  was 
held  at  the  house  of  Heinrich  Hohn  on  Thursday,  No- 
vember 1 2th,  at  which  Beissel  was  present. 

"  At  this  meeting,  according  to  the  old  records,  extra- 
ordinary revival  powers  were  manifested.  The  evangelists 
spoke  with  such  force  concerning  apostolic  baptism  and  the 
Divine  purpose  concerning  fallen  man  involved  therein, 
that  after  the  close  of  the  meeting  five  persons  felt  con- 
vinced and  applied  for  baptism.  These  candidates  were 
Heinrich  Hohn  and  his  wife,  at  whose  house  the  revival 
was  held ;  Johann  Mayer  and  wife  and  Joseph  Schaffer. 
The  party  at  once  proceeded  to  the  Pequea,  and  the  ordi- 
nance was  administered  to  them  by  Peter  Becker.  Before 
the  rite  was  concluded,  another  person,  Veronica  Fried- 
richs,  the  wife  of  a  local  miller,  presented  herself  as  a  can- 
didate and  was  accepted.  During  this  service  on  the  banks 
of  the  placid  Pequea,  much  fervent  spirit  manifested  itself 
among  all  present,  and  no  one  was  more  impressed  than 
Conrad  Beissel.  He  had  felt  for  some  time  past  that  longer 
to  withstand  the  ordinance  of  God  was  presumption.  To 
overcome  this  craving  and  ease  his  conscience,  Beissel, 
some  time  previous  to  this  pilgrimage,  attempted  to  baptize 
himself.  This  questionable  act,  however,  failed  to  con- 
vince him,  and  the  uncertainty  of  its  efficacy  left  him  in  a 
very  unenviable  state  of  mind.  Yet  he  considered  his  old 
master"  and  the  others  present  so  far  beneath  him  in  every 
respect  that  it  would  be  too  great  a  humiliation  for  his 
proud  spirit  to  receive  baptism  at  their  hands. 

"  The  stepping  forth  of  Veronica  Friedrichs,  the  fervent 
prayers  and  pious  ejaculations,  all  tended  to  increase  the 


Baptism  of  Beissel.  47 

excitement  of  Beissel ;  well  may  it  be  assumed  that  it 
reached  a  fever  heat,  and  that  his  mental  conflict  was  a 
fearful  one.  He,  too,  longed  to  enter  the  water  and  be 
plunged  beneath  the  flood,  and  through  it  again  enter  the 
material  world  cleansed  from  all  taint  and  sin.  While  he 
felt  himself  called  to  fulfill  a  mission  to  preach  the  Gospel 
himself,  yet  his  pride  forbade  him  to  humble  himself,  as 
he  considered,  to  bow  to  his  old  master  and  receive  the 
rite  at  his  hands. 

"  While  Veronica  was  being  baptized  the  excitement 
rose  still  higher.  Suddenly,  in  the  very  midst  of  the  solemn 
rite,  Beissel  remembered  how  it  was  recorded  in  Scripture 
that  even  Christ  had  humbled  himself  to  be  baptized  by  so 
lowly  a  person  as  John.  The  scene  on  the  banks  of  the 
Pequea  upon  that  November  day  was  certainly  an  impres- 
sive one  ;  religious  enthusiasm  was  wrought  to  a  high  pitch 
and  reached  its  culmination  when  Conrad  Beissel  an- 
nounced his  intention  to  be  baptized  in  *  apostolicwise,' 
and  importuned  Peter  Becker  to  administer  the  rite.  No 
preparations  were  made,  but  as  Veronica  Friedrichs  was 
led  up  the  slippery  bank,  Beissel  humbly  entered  the  freez- 
ing water  and  knelt  before  the  elder,  who  after  a  short 
invocation  immersed  the  candidate  thrice,  face  forward, 
under  the  cold  flood." 

After  the  conclusion  of  this  baptismal  service,  all  retired 
to  the  house  of  Heinrich  Hohn,  where  was  held  a  Love- 
feast  and  Communion  service  in  the  evening.  There  were 
several  more  meetings  held  in  the  neighborhood  and  Sig- 
mund  Landert  and  his  wife  were  baptized.  On  the  14th 
of  November,  the  Germantown  missionaries  started  on  their 
homeward  journey.  To  bring  out  important  lessons  may 
be  regarded  as  sufficient  reason  for  devoting  much  space 
to  a  description  of  these  events.     We  are  much  indebted 


48  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

to  the  Chronicon  for  dates  and  facts  of  these  early  years 
that  brought  such  important  results. 

Lessons  and  Results. 

It  is  desirable  to  comment  briefly  on  a  few  lessons  and 
important  results  while  these  scenes  are  fresh  in  mind. 
For,  it  may  readily  be  seen,  there  are  considerations  far 
beyond  their  local  setting.  Here  are  characteristics  that 
have  made  history.  Elements  of  strength  and  principles 
of  action,  adopted  in  Germany,  are  here  reestablished, 
and  have  directed  the  progress  of  the  church  ever  since. 
Alexander  Mack  was  an  evangelist  of  note  before  he 
organized  the  Brethren  church,  and  there  are  many  evi- 
dences of  the  missionary  activities  of  the  church  while  yet 
in  Germany.  This  tour,  after  the  organization  in  America, 
was  the  first  step  in  that  missionary  enterprise  which  has 
been  such  an  important  factor  in  the  life  of  the  Brethren 
church.  As  an  immediate  result,  one  church  was  organ- 
ized and  the  foundation  laid  for  another  one,  both  of  these 
becoming  prosperous  and  important  in  a  few  years.  In 
this  house-to-house  visitation  there  was  social  converse 
and  personal  instruction  regarding  spiritual  things  ;  and  we 
shall  never  know  out  of  how  many  homes  was  driven  the 
spirit  of  indifference  and  materialism  by  the  erection  of  the 
altar  of  prayer.  Let  us  emphasize  that  thought  in  this 
connection.  If  there  is  any  one  thing  in  which  the  Breth- 
ren church  has  distinctly  stood  above  other  things  it  is  the 
exaltation  of  the  home  and  family  life. 

But  this  evangelistic  tour  did  not  simply  demonstrate  the 
missionary  enterprise  in  which  the  Brethren  church  was 
born  ;  nor  was  the  organizing  of  one  or  two  congregations 
the  only  result.  The  seed  of  the  gospel  was  sown  in  many 
homes  along  the  way.     The  awakened  interest  in  religious 


The  Domestic  Sanctuary \  49 

matters  was  wide-spread,  and  many  a  German  home  re- 
ceived a  blessing.  The  Germantown  congregation  received 
much  encouragement  and  inspiration  from  the  success  of  this 
work.  But  there  is  one  more  thing  to  be  added  to  these 
results,  though  it  mars  the  brightness  of  our  picture.  As 
already  noted  above,  Conrad  Beissel  was  one  of  the  bap- 
tized converts  in  the  Conestoga.  He  soon  fomented  a 
schism  that  in  a  few  years  brought  sadness  to  many  hearts 
and  homes  and  lives. 

The  Home  a  Sanctuary. 
It  has  already  been  noted  that  the  preaching  services 
were  held  in  private  homes,  the  homes  of  the  members. 
There  is  no  higher  type  of  the  Christian  home  than  was 
found  among  these  early  German  settlers.  Here,  indeed, 
there  was  earnest  Christian  devotion ;  here  was  the  family 
altar ;  here  was  the  Bible  and  the  hymn-book,  the  constant 
source  of  instruction  and  blessing ;  and  here,  also,  there 
was  careful  religious  training  of  the  children.  But  the 
typical  home  of  which  I  am  speaking  is  not  yet  complete. 
This  home  was  a  sanctuary.  Here  gathered  parents  and 
children,  old  and  young,  for  the  public  preaching  service. 
No  other  power  on  earth  can  equal  in  far-reaching  influence 
this  combination  of  the  home  and  the  church.  We  need 
not  wonder,  therefore,  that  it  is  stated  in  the  old  records 
concerning  the  first  awakening  or  revival,  that  "  it  was 
especially  among  the  young."  This  was  no  doubt  a  rather 
"  primitive  "  way,  but  it  suited  the  times  and  the  circum- 
stances, was  eminently  successful,  and  crowned  thousands 
of  homes  with  the  richest  blessings  the  gospel  can  give. 
I  am  not  speaking  of  an  isolated  circumstance,  but  of  a 
universal  condition  and  the  halo  of  glory  of  these  home- 
sanctuary  scenes  has  brightened  and  blessed  the  lives  of 


5o 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 


thousands  and  thousands  of  Pennsylvania-Germans.  There 
were  homes  in  which  such  a  sanctuary  existed  for  two  and 
three  generations,  and  grace  and  blessing  is  the  heritage  of 
the  family  unto  this  day.  For  forty-seven  years  there  was 
not  a  church  or  meeting-house  among  the  Brethren.  The 
first  one  was  built  at  Germantown  in  1770,  and  there  were 
but  few  for  the  next  ten  or  twenty  years.  There  are  in  exist- 
ence to-day  many  old  Pennsylvania  homesteads,  homes  of 
the  "  old  families,"  that  were  built  with  special  reference 
to  the  sanctuary  altar,  and  the  accommodation  of  the 
"  meetings."  We  shall  know  fully  about  the  "  first  meet- 
ing-house "  a  little  later. 


THE  OI.D  SHUMACHER  HOUSE,  GERMANTOWN. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Second  Emigration. 

N  a  few  years  a  great  change  was  effected  in 
America.  By  the  close  of  1724  there  were 
three  congregations  organized :  German- 
town,  Coventry  and  Conestoga.  The  latter 
was  organized  soon  after  the  visit  from  Ger- 
mantown,  and  Conrad  Beissel  was  selected  as  the  preacher. 
Many  converts  having  been  made,  and  the  general  condi- 
tions of  things  being  encouraging  to  the  new  settlers,  many 
favorable  reports  were  sent  to  the  members  still  in  Ger- 
many or  different  parts  of  Europe.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  first  emigration  came  from  the  Crefeld  congrega- 
tion. It  is  necessary  now  to  trace  the  history  of  the  orig- 
inal Schwartzenau  congregation  during  the  sojourn  in 
Europe.  For  twelve  years  this  congregation  enjoyed  a  fair 
degree  of  liberty  and  unbroken  prosperity,  at  Schwartz- 
enau, in  the  province  of  Witgenstein.  But  in  the  year 
1720  a  great  change  came.  Upon  the  death  of  the  mild 
and  friendly  count  who  ruled  this  province  the  entire  body 
of  Brethren  was  driven  out  of  the  hitherto  friendly  terri- 

(50 


52  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

tory.  Thus  while  the  members  left  Crefeld  for  America, 
in  1 7 19,  the  members  of  the  mother  congregation  were 
refugees  from  their  home  in  Schwartzenau,  the  following 
year.  They  found  a  temporary  rest  and  home  at  Seruster- 
vin  or  Westervain,  in  West  Friesland.  It  was  at  this  place 
that  they  received  the  news  of  the  promising  mission  fields 
among  the  Germans  in  Pennsylvania.  They  decided  to 
cast  their  lot  with  their  friends  and  brethren  in  the  New 
World,  the  land  of  religious  liberty.  They  sailed  from 
Rotterdam,  in  July,  on  the  good  ship  Allen,  James  Craigie, 
master,  and  qualified  at  Philadelphia,  September  15, 
1729. l  And  now  we  enter  upon  a  new  era  in  the  history 
of  the  Brethren  in  Pennsylvania. 

Dark  Days  and  Trials  of  Fire. 

We  are  in  the  midst  of  years  that  are  full  of  history. 
There  are  dark  days  that  are  full  of  new  and  strange  and 
sad  experiences.  We  cannot  study  all  of  these  things  in 
detail,  but  we  must  be  satisfied  with  a  rapid  sketch,  a  kind 
of  panoramic  view  of  the  principal  facts  and  results.  As 
has  already  been  stated,  in  treating  of  the  religious  condi- 
tion at  the  time  of  settlement  in  this  country,  some  members 
had  not  entirely  escaped  the  influence  of  mysticism  at  Cre- 
feld and  other  places,  and  they  brought  some  of  it  to  this 
country.  For  a  time  it  prevented  their  fellowship,  but  was 
finally  swallowed  up  for  a  time  at  least,  in  the  general  in- 
terest of  the  revival  services.  But  the  spirit  of  mysticism 
was  only  waiting  for  a  favorable  opportunity  for  its  de- 
velopment, through  the  leadership  of  some  one.  This  op- 
portunity was  seized  by  Conrad  Beissel,  the  new  convert 

1  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Second  Series,  Vol.  XVII.,  p.  18.  See  also  Mor- 
gan Edward's  History  0/ the  Baptists  in  Pennsylvania,  Part  IV.,  p.  66,  con- 
cerning persecution  in  Germany. 


Conrad  Beissel.  53 

and  preacher  of  the  Conestoga  congregation.  He  was  a 
strange  character,  living  a  life  of  dreamy  solitude  in  the 
Conestoga  country.  He  was  a  poor,  uneducated  man,  with 
a  strange  history  in  Europe.  His  most  marked  character- 
istic seems  to  have  been  his  wonderful  capacity  to  absorb 
all  new  and  strange  beliefs  wherever  found — whether  the 
extreme  and  sweeping  grounds  of  Pietism,  or  the  ethereal 
conceptions  of  the  Rosicrusian  Mystics,  or  the  solitary 
meditations  of  the  Hermits  on  the  Wissahickon,  or  the  new 
doctrine  of  the  Kiethian  Quakers  on  French  creek.  He 
seemed  to  have  had  the  unique  experience,  too,  of  coming 
in  contact  with  more  strange  doctrines  than  any  one  else, 
and  so  his  own  beliefs  passed  through  many  evolutions 
from  time  to  time. 

Conrad  Beissel. 

It  is  not  my  purpose  to  write  a  life  of  this  man  and  to 
give  a  full  account  of  his  work,  but  it  is  manifestly  neces- 
sary to  give  some  facts  and  details  that  are  needful  for  a 
proper  understanding  of  the  historical  connection  with 
the  Brethren  church.  Conrad  Beissel  was  born  in  April, 
1690,  at  Eberbach,  in  the  Palatinate.  His  father  was  a 
dissolute  journeyman  baker,  who  died  two  months  before 
the  child  was  born.  The  orphan  boy  received  the  name  of 
Johann  Conrad  Beissel.  He  had  a  devout  mother,  but  she 
died  when  he  was  only  seven  years  of  age,  and  it  seemed 
as  if  his  last  blessing  had  gone.  He  grew  up  in  a  state  of 
the  most  abject  poverty  until  old  enough  to  learn  a  trade, 
when  he  was  apprenticed  by  the  local  authorities  to  a  master 
baker.  To  his  previous  life  of  poverty  and  wretchedness 
was  now  added  that  of  unrestrained  frivolity,  assisting  his 
master  in  fiddling  at  dances.  After  serving  his  apprentice- 
ship he  started  out  as  a  journeyman  baker  traveling  from 


54 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 


place  to  place.  He  was  for  a  time  at  Strasburg  where  he 
was  first  introduced  into  Inspirationist  and  Pietistic  circles. 
It  was  here  that  he  came  into  fellowship  and  association 

with  Michael  Eckerlin  whose 
four  sons  played  such  an  im- 
portant part  in  the  Ephrata 
community  years  after.  From 
Strasburg  he  journeyed  to 
Mannheim  where  he  remained 
for  a  time,  but  was  compelled 
to  leave  on  account  of  trouble 
with  his  master's  wife  whom 
he  called  Jezebel.  His  next 
stop  was  Heidelberg  where  he 
had  varied  experiences.  "Here 
he  experienced  an  enlighten- 
ment of  the  Spirit."  He  at- 
tended revival  meetings  and 
devoted  himself  to  his  business 
in  which  he  was  successful. 
He  now  again  turned  to  mystic 
circles  and  joined  the  local  Ros- 
icrucian  chapter.  When  this  become  known,  he  was  expell- 
ed from  the  town  and  this  unfortunate  experience  seems  to 
have  made  an  end  of  his  business  as  a  baker.  He  wan- 
dered about,  almost  starving,  finding  some  employment  at 
wool-spinning  and  other  means  of  livelihood.  "  He  so- 
journed for  a  short  time  among  the  Tunkers  at  Schwart- 
zenau."  After  much  wretchedness  and  tribulation  and  per- 
secution, he  resolved  to  leave  the  Fatherland  for  the  wilds 
of  the  New  World  and  join  Kelpius  on  the  Wissahickon. 
In  spite  of  the  protests  of  his  friends,  he  prepared  to  carry 
his  project  into  effect ;  crossing  the  ocean,  he  arrived  at 


ALLEGED  PORTRAIT  OF  CONRAD 
BEISSEI,. 


Beissel  as  an  Apprentice.  55 

Germantown  sometime  in  the  fall  of  1720.  Among  his 
companions  across  the  ocean  were  George  Steifel,  Jacob 
Stuntz,  and  Simon  Koenig.  On  reaching  Germantown, 
great  was  his  surprise  and  sore  his  disappointment  to  learn 
that  Kelpius  was  dead  some  years,  the  chapter  of  Perfec- 
tion broken  up  and  its  members  scattered  far  and  wide. 
There  was  a  remnant  of  the  community  left  who  lived  the 
solitary  lives  of  hermits  and  among  these  was  Conrad  Mat- 
thai  whom  Beissel  consulted  as  to  what  he  should  do. 
Matthai  gave  him  good  advice  by  telling  him  to  remain  at 
Germantown  and  learn  the  weaver's  trade  or  art  and  Beis- 
sel determined  to  follow  such  advice  for  the  time  being. 
He  indentured  himself  to  Peter  Becker  who  was  a  master- 
weaver  of  Germantown,  for  the  term  of  one  year,  but  left 
before  the  time  had  elapsed.  It  will  be  remembered  from 
the  preceding  pages  that  when  the  first  Brethren  congre- 
gation in  America  was  organized,  December  25,  1723, 
Peter  Becker  became  the  Elder,  as  he  had  heretofore  been 
the  leader.  As  an  apprentice  he  became  a  member  of  the 
family  of  Peter  Becker  and  it  will  thus  be  seen  that  for  the 
space  of  almost  one  year  he  was  the  companion  and  asso- 
ciate of  the  leading  man  of  the  Brethren  and  from  this  time 
on  dates  his  historical  connection  with  the  church.  He 
gradually  yielded  to  the  acceptance  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
church,  until  impressions  received  from  other  sources  di- 
rected him  into  other  channels  of  faith.  These  two  men 
were  greatly  grieved  as  they  beheld  the  spiritual  indiffer- 
ence of  their  countrymen.  Various  historians  of  the  times 
describe  the  condition  of  the  Germans  as  most  lamentable, 
amounting  even  to  unbelief,  assigning  various  reasons  for 
such  condition.  The  Chronicon  states  that  the  cause  for 
such  indifference  to  spiritual  things  is  :  "  The  great  free- 
dom of  this  land  was  one  cause  of  their  being  thus  sold 


56  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

under  the  spirit  of  this  world,  through  which  all  godly  in- 
fluence has  been  lost,  and  each  one  depended  upon  him- 
self." The  foregoing  biographical  facts  of  Beissel  were 
mainly  taken  from  German  Sectarians,  by  Julius  F. 
Sachse,  that  excellent  work  on  the  Ephrata  monastic  com- 
munity. I  quote  from  the  same,  page  53,  in  order  to  locate 
Beissel  and  the  place  of  his  future  operations  upon  leaving 
Germantown  :  "  Determined  to  carry  out  his  original  pur- 
pose, Beissel,  at  the  expiration  or  breaking  of  his  inden- 
ture, in  the  fall  of  172 1,  in  company  with  his  former  com- 
panion, Stuntz,  journeyed  to  the  Conestoga  valley  ;  and 
there,  in  a  secluded  spot,  in  the  primitive  forest  beside  a 
spring  of  water,  the  two  wanderers  built  themselves  a  log 
cabin.  This  was  on  the  banks  of  the  Miihlbach  (Mill 
creek),  a  branch  of  the  Conestoga.  The  branch  rises  in 
the  Welsh  mountain  in  the  eastern  part  of  Lancaster 
county,  and,  after  an  intricate  course,  empties  into  that 
river  at  the  dividing  line  of  Pequea  and  West  Lampeter 
townships. 

"The  exact  situation  of  this  historic  spot  can,  after  the 
lapse  of  a  century  and  three-quarters,  be  given  to  a  cer- 
tainty, thanks  to  some  old  surveys,  maps  and  records, 
which  have  been  found  and  located  after  a  long  and  patient 
search  extending  over  years  of  time.  The  site  of  Beissel's 
original  cabin  in  Lancaster  is  upon  the  grounds  of  Miss 
Marianna  Gibbons,  about  half  a  mile  north  of  the  Bird- 
in-Hand  Station  on  the  Pennsylvania  railroad,  and  agrees 
with  the  old  record,  which  states  that  it  was  eight  miles 
from  the  junction  of  the  Miihlbach  with  the  Conestoga." 

It  was  in  this  hut  on  the  Miihlbach,  where  Beissel  laid 
the  foundation  for  his  Monastic  Commune ;  but  many 
changes  were  yet  to  be  brought  about  and  many  impres- 
sions to  be  made  on  his  mind  to  become  foundation  stones 


The  Hut  on  the  Muhlbach.  57 

in  his  future  system.  From  here  he  soon  visited  the  Laba- 
dists  on  the  Bohemia  Manor  and  their  communal  life  made 
deep  and  lasting  impressions  upon  his  mind.  He  found 
much  to  interest  him  and  much  that  he  afterwards  used  in 
his  own  community.  About  the  same  time  he  visited  also 
the  Sabbatarians  at  Providence  and  Newtown  in  Chester 
county.  It  was  not  long  until  the  Sabbath  was  duly  ob- 
served in  the  log  cabin  by  Beissel  and  his  companions, 
which  now  were  Isaac  Van  Bebber  and  George  Steifel  in 
addition  to  Stuntz. 

For  a  time  all  was  quiet  and  peaceful  in  the  hut  on  the 
Muhlbach,  but  dissension  soon  arose  and  dark  clouds  of 
trouble  threatened  the  heretofore  contented  group.  When 
the  dissensions  arose,  Steifel  was  the  first  to  leave.  For 
some  time  he  lived  a  solitary  recluse  life,  when  he  became 
acquainted  with  the  Moravians  and  moved  to  Bethlehem, 
where  he  died  a  few  years  later.1 

The  severe  life  was  too  much  for  Van  Bebber  and  he 
soon  left  with  impaired  health.  Beissel  seems  to  have  re- 
gretted his  leaving  and  the  following  account  of  the  part- 
ing is  recorded  in  the  Chronicon:  "  He  took  leave  of  the 
Superintendent  (Beissel)  with  much  love,  and  protested 
that  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to  live  in  that  way.  The 
former  gave  him  the  following  counsel  to  take  with  him  : 
■  Know  that  when  you  are  successful  in  the  world,  God 
has  forsaken  you  ;  but  when  all  misfortune  comes  upon 
you  here,  then  know  that  God  still  loves  you.'  After 
many  years  he  froze  both  hands  and  feet  in  a  shipwreck 
and  was  put  under  the  care  of  Christopher  Witt  in  Ger- 
mantown.  There  he  remembered  this  farewell,  and  sent 
his  last  greeting  to  his  old  friend." 

Misfortunes  seem  to  come  now  to  Beissel  in  rapid  suc- 


1  See  Moravians'  Records. 


58  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

cession.  Soon  after  losing  these  two  companions  he  was 
away  from  the  cabin  for  a  time.  During  this  temporary 
absence,  Stuntz  sold  the  hut  and  kept  the  money  as  part 
payment  for  loans  he  had  made  to  Beissel.  Although  he 
was  now  homeless  and  without  companions  and  probably 
without  any  means  whatever,  he  was  not  despairing.  He 
shouldered  his  axe,  penetrated  deeper  into  the  forest  and 
before  the  close  of  the  summer  of  1723,  he  had  erected 
for  himself  a  log  cabin  about  one  mile  from  the  former 
place.  This  cabin  was  located  beside  a  beautiful  spring 
and  it  was  here  that  he  was  joined  by  Michael  Wohlfarth 
and  the  two  became  life-long  friends.  It  was  the  follow- 
ing year,  1724,  when  the  thrilling  scene  was  enacted, 
already  recited  in  preceding  pages,  and  Conrad  Beissel 
received  baptism  at  the  hands  of  Elder  Peter  Becker. 
And  now  for  a  few  years  he  is  in  fellowship  with  the 
Brethren  church,  and,  having  learned  something  of  the 
past  history  of  the  man,  we  shall  better  understand  his 
career  during  these  eventful  years. 

After  the  departure  of  the  missionaries  from  German- 
town,  who  had  created  such  a  stir,  Beissel  was  selected  as 
the  leader  and  the  new  congregation  of  twelve  members 
was  formally  organized.  Scarcely  was  this  accomplished 
when  he  began  to  present  his  doctrines  regarding  the  Sab- 
bath and  defended  certain  Jewish  laws  in  abstaining  from 
meats,  such  as  pork,  etc.  Agitation  and  discussion  upon 
these  topics  soon  produced  lack  of  harmony  and  restless- 
ness which  laid  the  foundations  for  dissension  and  confu- 
sion. The  confusion  seemed  about  complete,  when,  soon 
after,  he  presented  his  mystic  speculations  which  produced 
so  marked  an  effect  that,  while  some  thought  him  inspired, 
the  others  thought  him  crazy.  There  were  a  number  of 
converts,  however,  and  among  those  baptized  by  Beissel, 


BeisseVs  Ingratitude.  59 

was  his  friend  and  companion,  Wohlfarth.  Communica- 
tion between  the  Sabbatarians  on  French  creek  and  Beis- 
sel  and  his  adherents,  became  more  and  more  frequent, 
and  he  presented  his  Sabbatarian  views  more  positively 
and  most  bitterly  antagonized  those  who  differed  on  doc- 
trine. This  bitterness  against  the  Brethren  was  carried  by 
those  who  went  to  proselyte  to  all  the  settlements  and 
finally  reached  Germantown ;  and  when  Elder  Peter 
Becker  and  some  others  came  on  a  visit  to  the  Conestoga, 
Beissel  attacked  him  most  bitterly  in  public  in  his  sermon. 
Thus  was  the  breach  constantly  widened,  and  the  Cone- 
stoga congregation  itself  was  divided  into  two  parts  :  those 
who  adhered  with  Beissel  to  the  Sabbath  and  those  who 
adhered  to  the  Lord's  Day  or  Sunday.  The  leader  of  the 
latter  was  Johannes  Hildebrand,  who  had  moved  to  the 
Conestoga  from  the  mother  congregation  at  Germantown. 
It  was  very  evident  that  matters  could  not  go  on  at  this 
rate  and  it  seemed  almost  out  of  the  question  to  restore 
harmony  and  reach  a  peaceful  settlement.  Beissel  made  a 
special  effort  to  reach  and  influence  the  various  Brethren 
settlements  and  that  he  succeeded  will  be  noted  further  on 
in  the  history.  These  circumstances  bring  us  to  the  latter 
part  of  the  year  1728,  and  I  desire  to  quote  in  this  connec- 
tion a  paragraph  from  German  Sectarians,  page  138. 
"  The  Germantown  Baptists  now  reproached  Beissel  for  his 
ingratitude  toward  them,  as  it  was  at  their  hands  that  he  had 
received  baptism.  This,  instead  of  rallying  him,  only 
tended  to  increase  his  vehemence  against  his  former  friends. 
At  the  same  time  he  was  forced  to  acknowledge  the  truth 
of  their  argument.  How  to  overcome  this  dilemma  was  a 
serious  question.  At  last,  however,  a  way  was  found  out 
of  the  difficulty,  which  was  worked  to  their  own  satisfac- 
tion. This  was  the  novel  proposition  to  renounce  the 
Becker  baptism  and  return  it  to  the  old  congregation,  and 


60  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

then  to  have  such  of  the  Beisselianer  as  had  been  immersed 
by  Becker  rebaptized.  This  strange  scene  was  enacted 
toward  the  close  of  December,  evidently  in  the  Miihlbach 
or  the  Conestoga.  Upon  the  appointed  day  a  general 
meeting  of  the  Sabbatarians  was  held,  during  which  three 
brothers  and  four  sisters  were  selected  for  the  chief  cere- 
mony. It  had  been  decided  that  it  was  proper  for  the  Sab- 
batical number  to  be  the  foundation  of  the  rebaptized  con- 
gregation. The  number  seven  and  the  two  sexes  were 
therefore  chosen.  According  to  the  teachings  of  the  Rosi- 
crucians  the  number  seven  represents  the  union  of  the 
square  and  the  triad,  and  is  considered  the  divine  number, 
in  the  same  sense  in  which  forty  is  the  perfect  numeral. 
Jan  Meyle  and  Beissel  were  the  first  to  enter  the  icy  water ; 
special  hymns  were  sung,  and  after  an  invocation,  in  which 
both  men  renounced  their  former  baptism,  Meyle  immersed 
Beissel  thrice  backwards,  and  immediately  afterwards  re- 
peated the  operation  thrice  forwards,  thus  baptizing  the 
candidate.  Beissel  then  repeated  the  same  ceremony  upon 
Meyle  and  the  others  in  turn.  This  act  completed  the 
separation  between  the  Germantown  and  Conestoga  Bap- 
tists." This  babyish  act  of  Beissel  in  his  desire  to  "  return  " 
his  former  baptism,  has  received  no  end  of  ridicule,  but  if 
we  can  overlook  his  self-righteousness  and  self-exaltation 
and  his  ambition  to  lead,  the  poor  man  is  to  be  pitied  rather 
than  laughed  at.  This  was  the  condition  of  things  when 
Alexander  Mack  with  the  larger  part  of  the  Schwartzenau 
congregation  arrived  in  the  following  year,  1729.  Several 
attempts  were  made  at  reconciliation,  but  without  success. 
The  Rosicrucian  was  now  more  than  a  mystic ;  he  was 
partly  a  Jew  and  a  strict  Sabbatarian,  on  which  latter  doc- 
trine the  separation  partly  came  about.  But  not  this  alone, 
nor  was  this  all  of  his  system.  He  was  a  Labadist,  and 
had  already  advocated  celibacy  and  a  communal  life.      One 


Sabbatarianism.  61 

of  his  special  missions  now  was  to  invade  the  sanctity  of 
the  home,  separate  husband  from  wife  and  wife  from  hus- 
band and  parents  from  children.  To  many  a  home,  for 
peace  and  happiness,  he  gave  sorrow  and  separation  and 
many  of  the  victims  were  filled  with  remorse  and  regret. 
Thus  was  the  separation  complete.  By  the  very  nature  of 
the  case,  the  system  of  doctrine  and  the  character  of  the 
leader  and  defender  of  that  doctrine,  complete  separation 
was  an  absolute  necessity.  Some  historians  and  others 
have  regarded  and  classed  these  people  as  a  branch  of  the 
Brethren  church.  This  seems  strange  to  anyone  who  has 
studied  the  system  of  doctrine  of  these  people.  That  the 
German  Sabbatarians  or  Seventh  Day  Baptists  under  Beis- 
sel  were  a  schism  or  split  in  the  first  place  from  the  Breth- 
ren church  is  unquestioned ;  but  his  Monastic  Community 
is  no  more  a  branch  of  the  Brethren  church  from  which  he 
separated  than  the  Lutheran  church  is  a  branch  of  the 
Catholic  church.  There  could  be  nothing  more  foreign  in 
doctrine  or  more  opposite  in  practical  working.  While  the 
Master  said:  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature," 1  Beissel  sought  to  confine  his  gos- 
pel behind  cloister  walls.  The  system  was  inherently  selfish 
and  was  destined  to  die  with  the  brain  that  conceived  it. 
It  was  a  system  whose  very  foundations  were  so  fallacious 
in  character  as  to  bring  about  its  own  destruction  and  an- 
nihilation. But  owing  to  the  peculiar  conditions  and  cir- 
cumstances of  those  early  times,  the  system  flourished  for 
a  number  of  years,  and  its  adherents  fairly  worshipped  its 
author.  Long  since,  however,  has  the  stern  hand  of  des- 
tiny laid  low  the  actors,  and  while  time  has  silenced  the 
turmoil  and  the  turbulence,  and  has  gently  stilled  the  sobs 
of  broken  homes  and  soothed  the  heart-aches,  let  us  cover 
over  these  scenes  of  the  past  with  the  mantle  of  charity. 

I  Mark  16  :  15. 


HOUSE   FORMERLY   AT   N.   E.    COR.    OE  MAIN  ST.    AND   MARKET  SQUARE. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


Alexander  Mack,  the  Patriarch. 


E  have  already  traced,  in  the  preceding 
chapters,  the  Origin  and  Organization 
of  the  Brethren  church  in  Germany. 
Then  tracing  the  First  Emigration,  fol- 
lowed the  church  in  America  in  its  organ- 
ization, in  its  growth  and  development,  and  in  its  vicissi- 
tudes for  a  period  of  ten  years.  In  the  last  chapter,  reference 
was  made  to  the  original  congregation  of  Schwartzenau  in 
its  wanderings  in  Europe  and  the  emigration  to  America  in 
1729.  Upon  his  arrival,  Alexander  Mack  again  became 
the  leading  spirit  of  the  church,  as  he  had  been  in  the 
beginning,  in  the  capacity  of  the  ' 'leader  and  first  minister" 
at  the  time  of  organization  in  1708.  Some  so-called  histor- 
ians speak  of  him  as  the  "  founder  "  of  the  Brethren  church, 
but  in  no  sense  is  he  either  the  founder  or  the  foundation. 
He  was  only  one  of  eight  to  organize  the  work,  but  because 
of  his  previous  experience  and  activity  as  a  minister  and 
evangelist,  he  naturally  became  the  leading  spirit. 

As  to  foundation,  we  accept  the   words  of  the  Apostle 

(62) 


THE    GERMAN    BAPTIST    BRETHREN. 


RELICS  OF  THE  BRETHREN  CHURCH  AT  GERMANTOWN, 


ANCIENT  CANDLE-STICKS 

PARCHMENT   DEEDS 

COLLECTION   BASKETS 

POOR   BOX 


COOKING    UTENSILS 

COFFEE   URN 

ROTS   AND   BUCKETS 

SKIMMER 


J.    F.    SACHSE,    PHOTO. 


Alexander  Mack.  63 

Paul,  I  Corinthians,  3:  11:  "For  other  foundation  can 
no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ."  It 
may  be  well  to  recall  Alexander  Mack's  recital  of  the  cove- 
nant of  the  eight :  "  Under  these  circumstances  some  felt 
themselves  drawn  powerfully  to  seek  the  footsteps  of  the 
primitive  Christians,  and  desired  earnestly  to  receive  in 
faith  the  ordained  testimonies  of  Jesus  Christ  according  to 
their  true  value.  At  the  same  time  they  were  internally 
and  strongly  impressed  with  the  necessity  of  the  obedi- 
ence of  faith  to  a  soul  that  desires  to  be  saved.   *  *   * 

M  Finally,  in  the  year  1708,  eight  persons  consented  to- 
gether, to  enter  into  a  covenant  of  a  good  conscience  with 
God,  to  take  up  all  the  commandments  of  Jesus  Christ  as 
an  easy  yoke,  and  thus  to  follow  the  Lord  Jesus,  their 
good  and  faithful  shepherd,  in  joy  and  sorrow,  as  his  true 
sheep,  even  unto  a  blessed  end." 

This  is  a  clear  statement  of  those  who,  having  come 
from  different  beliefs,  accepted  Christ  and  His  gospel  as 
fundamental  principles.  There  is  no  other  creed  or  con- 
fession to-day,  but  the  Brethren  still  accept  the  New  Tes- 
tament as  their  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

Birth. — Because  of  the  importance  of  his  ministry  and 
leadership  for  twenty-seven  years,  it  will  be  of  interest  to 
relate  briefly  such  biographical  facts  as  have  come  down  to 
us.  It  may  be  said,  however,  that  we  know  but  little  about 
Alexander  Mack.  He  was  born  in  1679  at  Schriesheim, 
about  midway  between  Mannheim  and  Heidelberg,  in  the 
Electorate  of  Palatia  or  the  Palatinate,  now  forming  a  part 
of  the  grand  duchy  of  Baden,  in  southern  Germany.  Of 
his  parents  we  have  little  positive  information.  From  what 
his  biographers  say  of  him,  we  know  that  his  parents  were 
respectable,  wealthy  and  religious. 

Inasmuch  as  "After  the  Reformation  Heidelberg  was 


64  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

long  the  headquarters  of  German  Calvinism  and  gave  its 
name  to  a  famous  Calvinistic  catechism,"  it  is  altogether 
likely  that  Alexander  Mack  received  careful  instruction  in 
the  Heidelberg  catechism,  since  he  was  born  and  raised 
only  a  few  miles  from  that  city.  Elder  James  Quinter 
writes  '  in  1867  :  "  Although  we  know  but  little  of  his  ances- 
tors, it  appears  he  descended  from  a  very  respectable  and 
wealthy  family.  He  was  a  Presbyterian  (Reformed),  and 
educated  in  the  Calvinistic  faith.  Of  his  literary  acquire- 
ments we  know  nothing  but  what  we  can  gather  from  his 
writings,  and  from  these  it  does  not  appear  that  he  had  a 
classical  education." 

Occupation. — It  seems  that  in  early  life  he  was  a  miller 
and  operated  his  milling  interests.  Morgan  Edwards,  writ- 
ing 2  in  1770,  says:  "He  had  a  handsome  patrimony  at 
Schriesheim,  with  a  profitable  mill  and  vineyard  thereon, 
but  spent  all  in  raising  and  maintaining  his  church  at 
Schwarzenau." 

Marriage. — In  the  year  1700,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one, 
he  was  married  to  Anna  Margaretha  Klingin,  a  native  of 
the  same  place  and  about  his  own  age.  To  this  union  were 
born  five  children,  three  sons  and  two  daughters. 

Life-work. —  His  life-work  began  at  an  early  age. 
He  was  only  twenty-nine  years  of  age  when  the  church 
was  organized  and  he  was  chosen  the  first  minister,  but  he 
had  been  active  already  for  a  number  of  years  before  this 
time.  Being  dissatisfied  with  the  religious  system  in  which 
he  had  been  brought  up,  he  directed  his  prayerful  atten- 
tion to  the  scriptures  in  searching  for  "  the  old  paths,"  for 
he  was  anxious  to  ascertain  the  mind  of  the  Lord  as  therein 
revealed.     This  soon  brought   persecution   and  in   a  few 


1  Memoir  of  Alexander  Mack,  Sen.,  Brethren 's  Encyclopedia. 

2  Materials  toward  A  History  of  the  American  Baptists,  Vol.  I.,  Part  IV. 


Alexander  Mack. 


6s 


66  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

years  he  was  an  exile  from  his  splendid  estate  at  Schries- 
heim.  He  took  his  wife  and  little  ones,  and  with  many 
others  found  refuge  at  Schwarzenau  under  the  mild  rule 
of  Count  Henry.  Here  he  found  many  active  Pietists  and 
among  them  Ernest  Christoph  Hochmann  von  Hochenau 
who  was  an  active  evangelist  and  with  whom  Mack  trav- 
eled much,  for  they  held  much  in  common.  There  is  no 
doubt  but  that  Hochmann's  Confession  of  Faith  encouraged 
and  confirmed  Mack  considerably  in  his  own  growing  con- 
victions ;  but  Hochmann  seemed  to  lack  the  courage  of 
his  convictions  and  his  work  ultimately  came  to  naught  and 
he  died  in  sorrowful  poverty.  The  work  organized  here 
in  1708,  as  has  already  been  noticed,  continued  for  twelve 
years,  or  until  1720  ;  when  upon  the  death  of  the  mild  and 
friendly  Count,  they  were  driven  to  Holland.  But  the 
year  1720  is  emphasized  for  sadness  in  addition  to  perse- 
cution and  exile.  From  Quintets  Memoir,  I  quote  as  fol- 
lows :  "  But  he  had  domestic  afflictions  to  endure,  as  well 
as  those  arising  from  persecution.  In  1720,  twenty  years 
after  they  were  united  in  the  bonds  of  matrimony,  and 
twelve  years  after  they  were  united  to  Christ  by  a  living 
faith  and  gospel  obedience,  his  companion  was  taken  from 
him  by  death.  She  is  said  to  have  been  a  meek  Christian 
and  virtuous  wife.  She  found  in  death,  what  she  and  her 
husband  had  sought  in  vain  for  on  earth,  a  calm  retreat 
from  the  storm  of  persecution.  Within  one  week  of  the 
death  of  his  wife,  his  oldest  daughter,  then  about  six  years 
old,  also  died.  It  is  said  that  the  child  was  uncommonly  fond 
of  its  mother.  And  out  of  regard  perhaps  to  the  fond- 
ness which  existed  between  the  mother  and  child,  as  well 
as  out  of  regard  to  the  circumstances  of  persecution  under 
which  the  father  and  child  were  placed,  the  Lord  in  His 
wisdom  and  goodness  may  have  taken  the  little  daughter 


Mack  in  America.  67 

to  the  quiet  home  of  the  mother  where  it  could  enjoy  her 
fond  caresses,  rather  than  leave  it  where  it  must  endure 
the  hardships  and  troubles  of  persecution  in  common  with 
its  father.  Thus  in  about  one  week,  in  addition  to  the 
troubles  consequent  upon  the  great  persecution  which  was 
then  raging,  he  had  to  bear  the  loss  of  a  kind  and  Chris- 
tian wife  and  a  dear  little  daughter. 

"  After  seeking  unsuccessfully  for  a  retreat  from  perse- 
cution in  his  native  country,  he  with  his  three  sons,  and  a 
number  of  his  brethren,  emigrated  to  America  in  1729,  and 
settled  as  a  poor  man,  poor  in  this  world's  goods  but  rich 
in  faith,  on  a  small  lot  of  ground  near  Germantown,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Philadelphia." 

His  company  consisted  of  about  thirty  families  and  so 
large  an  addition  to  their  numbers  greatly  stimulated  the 
Brethren  in  Pennsylvania.  But  the  heart  of  this  devoted 
man  was  saddened  when  he  found  the  sad  condition  of 
things  among  his  brethren,  the  result  of  the  Beissel  seces- 
sion. His  life  was  full  of  heroism,  however,  and  his  true 
courage  and  moral  bravery  failed  him  not  now.  He  went 
resolutely  to  work,  once  more,  to  win  the  last  great  battle 
of  his  life.  Perhaps  he  little  realized  that  it  was  to  be  the 
last  great  struggle.  After  several  vain  attempts  to  recon- 
cile Beissel,  all  efforts  were  concentrated  to  bring  harmony 
out  of  the  confusion  and  chaos,  and  once  more  organize 
his  forces  for  united  Christian  work.  The  result  of  the 
efforts  is  perhaps  best  indicated  by  pointing  to  the  fact 
that  a  number  of  churches  were  organized  in  the  course 
of  a  few  years.  The  following  is  at  least  a  partial  list  of 
the  churches  and  the  dates  of  their  organization  :  The  Oley 
Church,  in  1732;  the  Great  Swamp  Church,  in  1733; 
Amwell  Church,  New  Jersey,  in  1733 ;  the  Cocalico 
Church,  in  1735  ;  the  White  Oakland,  in  1736;  the  Cono- 


68  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

wango,  in  1738  ;  and  others  soon  afterwards.  But  he  saw 
only  a  part  of  the  fruits  of  his  latter  labors.  His  life  was 
too  intense,  too  full  of  sacrifice  and  service,  to  last  long ; 
and  at  the  early  age  of  fifty-six,  on  February  19,  1735,  he 
peacefully  passed  away.  He  had  sacrificed  all,  he  lived 
a  hero,  he  died  a  martyr.  He  lived  not  long,  but  so  well. 
Morgan  Edwards  exclaimed  of  him  :  "  He  was  a  man  of 
real  Piety." 

Though  he  probably  was  not  classically  educated,  his 
writings  have  lived  for  two  hundred  years.  He  was  per- 
haps not  an  eloquent  preacher,  but  his  consistent  life  and 
consecrated  devotion  wonderfully  impressed  the  truth  he 
professed.  He  was  truly  loved  and  deeply  mourned  by 
those  who  followed  his  leadership.  His  death  at  this  time 
was  a  very  serious  loss,  coming  as  it  did  so  soon  after  the 
confusion  of  Beissel  secession  ;  and  it  would  certainly  have 
proven  fatal  if  his  followers  had  builded  on  the  person- 
ality of  their  leader.  But  he  was  so  anxious  about  the  truth 
that  he  had  carefully  eliminated  his  own  personality.  Per- 
haps the  truth  of  this  statement  is  best  illustrated  by  the 
following  incident.  Some  time  before  his  death,  he  said 
to  his  family,  "  Now  when  I  am  gone,  don't  mark  my 
grave,  or  they  might  sometime  want  to  erect  a  monument 
over  my  grave."  The  family  was  grieved  to  think  that 
his  grave  should  be  lost  sight  of,  and  so  they  protested 
against  an  unmarked  grave.  It  is  said  he  then  yielded  to 
the  wishes  of  his  loved  ones  and  gave  them  privilege  to 
place  his  initials  on  a  small  stone  slab.  This  incident 
seems  well  established  as  a  fact ;  it  is  at  any  rate  entirely 
consistent  with  the  man's  life  and  character,  and  the  unpre- 
tentious blue-stone,  scarce  two  feet  in  height,  has  been  a 
silent  witness  for  more  than  a  century  and  a  half,  to  multi- 
tudes of  his  followers. 


Death  of  Alexander  Mack. 


"  His  Christian  character  appears  to  have  been  that  of 
a  primitive  follower  of  Christ.  Humility,  zeal,  self-denial, 
and  charity  were  conspicuous  among  the  graces  that 
adorned  his  character.  The  high  estimation  in  which  he 
was  held  by  his  brethren  is  seen  in  the  circumstance  that 
he  was  chosen  by  them  to  be  their  minister.  He  was  the 
first  minister  in  the  little  Christian  community  organized 
at  Schwartzenau  in  1708,  and  labored  zealously  and  suc- 
cessfully to  enlarge  the  borders  of  their  Zion.  Of  his 
private  character  as  a  Christian  father  we  may  infer  favor- 
ably from  the  circumstances  that  all  his  sons  became  pious 
and  were  united  to  the  church  before  they  had  completed 
their  seventeenth  year.  And  what  seems  somewhat  re- 
markable, they  all  made  a  public  confession  of  religion  in 
the  seventeenth  year  of  their  age."1 

The  graveyard  connected  with  the 
Brethren  church  was  not  opened 
until  near  the  close  of  the  century, 
so  when  Alexander  Mack  died  in 
1735,  there  was  but  one  in  the 
neighborhood,  called  the  Upper 
Burying  Ground  of  Germantown, 
and  here  with  loving  hands  his 
body  was  laid  away,  to  rest  for  one 
hundred  and  fifty-nine  years.  This 
place  has  long  since  been  but  little 

used  and  many  removals  have  taken  place  within  recent 
years.  Because  of  the  growing  neglect  of  the  place,  it 
was  very  desirable  that  his  remains  should  be  removed  to 
the  well-kept  cemetery  of  his  own  brethren  and  laid  in 
the  midst  of  his  descendants,  now  consisting  of  six  gen- 
erations buried  here.     A  proposition  of  removal  was  pre- 


1  Quinter's  Memoir. 


7o 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren 


THE  FIRST  MINISTER    !• 
ANDORCAhlZfR  OF  THE 
|CHURCH  OF  'THE  BRETHREN.' 
IN  THE  YEAR  1*08 
BORN  AT  SCKRlESHEim.  '  < 
GERMANY.  I&/9. 
CAME  TO  CERMANTOWM 
1729.  DIED  |735    .     v 
■^REMOVED  FROM      V 
OE'S'^URYINC  CRpWND^ 

'  'tfj 


sented  to  some  of  the  descendants  and  they  quickly  con- 
sented, scarcely  one  of  them  knowing  of  his  place  of 
burial.  The  removal  took  place  on  November  13,  1894, 
at  which  time  brief  funeral  services  were  held  in  the 
historic  meeting-house,    conducted  by  the   author  of   this 

sketch,  assisted  by  Rev.  T.  T. 
Myers,  of  Philadelphia.  On  this 
occasion  descendants  of  the  fifth, 
sixth,  seventh  and  eighth  genera- 
tions were  present  to  the  number 
of  twenty-five.  During  these 
long  years,  there  stood  over  his 
grave  a  small  slab  of  Pennsyl- 
vania blue-stone  marble,  with  the 
following  inscription  :  Hier  Ru- 
hen  I  die  gebeine  |  A.  M.  |  gebor- 
en  1679.  I  gestorben  1735.  |  Alt 
56  Yahr.  This  slab  was  retained  as  a  foot-stone,  and  for  a 
head-stone  there  was  erected  a  plain  white  marble  slab 
about  five  feet  in  height,  with  the  following  inscription  : 
Alexander  Mack,  Sr.  |  the  first  minister  |  and  organizer 
of  the  I  Church  of  "The  Brethren"  |  in  the  year  1708.  | 
Born  at  Schriesheim,  |  Germany,  1679.  I  Came  to  Ger- 
mantown  |  1729,  died  1735.  |  Removed  from  |  Axe's  Bury- 
ing Ground,  |  1894. l  Thus  his  remains  now  rest  in  the 
midst  of  his  own  people,  and  beside  those  of  his  son  and 
successor,  Alexander  Mack,  Jr.  He  has  to-day  a  numer- 
ous descent,  some  account  of  which  is  given  in  the  appen- 
dix to  this  sketch. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  have  a  list  of  the  baptisms  per- 
formed by  Alexander  Mack,  but  aside  from  the  seven  of 


See  illustrations. 


Seal  of  the  Brethren. 


7i 


the  original  members  that  he  baptized,  there  are  no  records 
of  his  work  in  this  line. 

His  Seal. 

Some  years  ago  a  few  descendants  made  some  investi- 
gation for  the  purpose  of  recovering  the  seal  of  Alexander 
Mack,  but  without  success  and  it  is  now  feared  that  it  will 
never  be  found.  Such  a  seal  indicates  the  prominence  of 
his  family.  What  the  character  of  this  seal  was,  in  its 
symbolic  representation,  was  probably  unknown  for  nearly 
a  century.  While  the  seal  is  probably  lost,  we  know  its 
character  from  an  impression  that  was  recently  discovered. 
The  Brethren  church  of  Germantown  has  an  interesting 
collection  of  old  parchment  deeds.  While  we  were  examin- 
ing these  documents  from 
their  historic  interest,  Mr. 
Julius  F.  Sachse  dis- 
covered the  impress  of 
Mack's  seal  accompany- 
ing an  official  signature. 
The  impression  is  in  red 
sealing-wax  and  is  in 
perfect  condition.  The  il- 
lustration herewith  shows 
that  the  seal  consisted  of 
several  symbols,  each  of 
which  had  a  religious  sig- 
nificance. The  entire  combination  constitutes  a  remarkable 
index  to  the  character  of  its  owner.  In  the  center  is  the 
cross,  which  means  sacrifice ;  the  heart  means  devotion, 
and  placed  on  the  cross,  further  means  sacrificed  in  devo- 
tion ;  the  branches  of  the  vine,  mean  fruit-bearing.  Thus 
the  seal  reads :  a  devoted,  fruit-bearing,  sacrificed  life. 
How  significantly  true  this  is  of  the  life  of  Alexander  Mack  ! 


THE  OIJ)  PINE  COTTAGE,  GERMANTOWN. 


CHAPTER   IX. 


The    Reaction. 


HE  history  of  the  Brethren  church  for  the  first 
twenty-seven  years,  viz.,  1708-1735,  has  been 
given  with  a  good  deal  of  detail,  since  this 
period  is  the  most  important  historically  in  the 
present  treatment.  The  scope  of  this  sketch 
will  not  admit  of  the  same  fullness  in  treatment  from 
this  time  on,  but  it  is  necessary  to  notice  some  important 
events  and  changes.  The  death  of  Alexander  Mack  in 
1735  proved  to  be  a  very  serious  loss.  That  the  work 
received  somewhat  of  a  stunning  blow  for  the  time  being, 
and  that  some  of  the  workers  were  thrown  into  confusion, 
is  very  evident  and  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  when  the  cir- 
cumstances are  carefully  considered.  There  are  a  number 
of  distinct  elements  that  enter  into  this  consideration,  each 
one  of  which  is,  indeed,  important.  We  may  name  as 
fruitful  subjects  for  consideration,  such  elements  as  the 
work,  the  workers,  the  discouragements,  the  conditions  of 
the  times,  and  others  might  be  added  to  the  list. 

(72) 


33     L' 


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Elder  Peter  Becker.  73 

1.  The  work  was  in  many  respects  a  new  one  under 
these  circumstances  and  presented  many  difficulties  and 
unsolved  problems.  Much  energy  was  needed  to  push  the 
work,  and  such  an  important  event  as  the  loss  of  a  leader 
would  easily  affect  its  progress. 

2.  The  workers  were  from  different  communities,  the 
subjects  of  different  educational  influences,  and  trained 
under  the  influence  of  very  varied  religious  impressions. 
They  felt  the  need  of  the  harmonizing  influence  of  a  com- 
mon training.  They  needed  a  leader  who  was  able  to 
command  their  love  and  respect,  which  would  constitute  a 
bond  of  common  union  in  times  of  little  differences.  In 
Mack  they  had  such  a  leader,  and  they  keenly  felt  the  loss 
when  he  died. 

3.  Many  were  the  discouragements.  The  views  and 
doctrines  of  the  early  Germans  were  very  varied  and  di- 
vergent. All  shades  of  belief  were  accepted  and  pre- 
vailed. Agitation  was  rife.  Beissel  led  a  powerful  influ- 
ence in  opposition,  strengthened  by  the  recruits  from  all 
sources. 

4.  There  seemed  to  have  been  at  this  time  a  period  of 
religious  excitement,  the  natural  extreme  of  the  previous 
indifference  that  existed  a  decade  or  two  before.  It  was 
also  the  result  of  the  great  agitation  in  religious  doctrine, 
and  the  marked  antagonism  and  opposition  of  some  of  the 
workers. 

Then,  too,  it  must  be  remembered  that  it  was  not  an  easy 
matter  to  change  back  again  to  the  leadership  of  Becker. 
This  is  no  discredit  to  Elder  Peter  Becker,  who  had  been 
such  an  efficient  support  of  the  work  from  1723  until  1729, 
at  which  time  Mack  took  full  charge  of  the  work.  While 
Becker  was  not  a  noted  preacher,  he  was  a  sweet  singer 
and  gifted  with  more  than  ordinary  power  in  prayer ;  he 


74  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

was  a  conscientious  and  devoted  worker ;  he  was  quiet  and 
conservative  in  time  of  crisis ;  and  he  must  ever  be  re- 
garded as  a  judicious  and  faithful  leader  for  six  years 
previous  to  Mack's  coming  to  America,  as  well  as  twelve 
years  after  his  death.  It  will  be  remembered  that  in  de- 
scribing the  organization  of  the  church  in  America,  the  life 
of  Peter  Becker  is  intimately  interwoven  with  all  the  his- 
tory of  that  event,  and  space  therefore  forbids  a  separate 
treatment  of  his  life.  Further  reference  will  also  be  made 
to  him  and  the  importance  of  his  work. 

In  some  respects,  the  time  of  Mack's  death  seemed  most 
unfortunate.  A  great  crisis  was  approaching  among  the 
Germans  in  Pennsylvania.  Beissel  was  especially  active 
and  aggressive,  and  while  he  had  confined  himself  to  the 
Brethren  settlements  in  various  places,  he  now  branched 
out  and  began  to  proselyte  among  the  Lutherans  and  Re- 
formed in  the  Tulpehocken  aud  other  places.  It  was  in 
1735  that  Rev.  Peter  Miller  and  Conrad  Weiser  and  other 
prominent  Germans  accepted  Beissel's  doctrine,  and  re- 
moved to  Ephrata.  Beissel  now  seemed  to  put  forth  every 
effort  possible  to  destroy  the  Brethren  congregations.  He 
organized  large  parties,  sometimes  as  many  as  twelve  in  a 
party,  to  visit  the  settlements  of  Pennsylvania  and  New 
Jersey.  He  laid  claim  to  following  the  Brethren's  doctrine 
in  the  observance  of  all  the  commandments  of  the  New 
Testament  and  everywhere  threatened  the  church.  He 
found  in  after  years  that  his  work  was  too  aggressive,  for 
he  had  many  converts  he  could  not  hold,  and  many  he  did 
not  want,  for  he  could  not  assimilate  and  use  them  to  his 
own  ends.  This  at  least  partly  explains  the  reason  why  so 
many  prominent  persons,  who  became  converts  of  Beissel, 
remained  at  Ephrata  only  long  enough  to  find  out  the  man 
and  the  character  of  his  work. 


Alexander  Mack,  the  Younger.  75 

It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  there  should  be  a  serious 
reaction  when  Mack  died,  owing  to  the  time  and  condi- 
tions in  which  he  died.  The  newly  organized  churches 
(organized  in  the  years  immediately  preceding  his  death) 
indicated  the  prosperity  and  progress  of  the  cause  for 
which  he  stood.  But  the  organizations  were  too  new  to 
endure  much  of  a  strain.  They  needed  time  to  grow,  as 
well  as  time  to  crystallize  the  doctrine  and  concentrate  their 
strength.  There  was  not  time  enough  to  do  all  of  this. 
As  may  be  expected,  the  most  serious  effect  was  at  Ger- 
mantown  ;  because  here  were  those  who  knew  him  best 
and  loved  him  most,  and  therefore  most  deeply  mourned 
the  loss  of  his  personal  presence.  These  had  come  with 
him  in  1729  and  had  never  known  any  other  leadership 
and  ministry  than  his.  Among  these  were  Alexander 
Mack,  Jr.,  then  a  young  man  of  23  years  of  age,  very  ac- 
tive in  the  church,  but  disheartened  when  his  father  died 
whom  he  dearly  loved.  He  became  somewhat  despondent 
and  believed  that  he  too  would  soon  die.  There  were  others 
who  became  indifferent  and  were  ready  to  drift  with  cir- 
cumstances. Under  these  distressing  conditions,  there 
comes  upon  the  scene  a  new  and  strange  character.  He 
was  not  a  stranger,  however,  but  an  old  friend  and  be- 
liever, who  now  turns  into  a  strange  history.  He  was  a 
believer  already  in  Germany,  and  according  to  the  old 
record,  he  was  a  minister  at  Crefeld  before  1715.  He 
came  to  Germantown  in  17 19,  in  the  first  emigration,  and 
sat  at  the  first  Love-feast  table  on  December  25,  1723.  In 
some  way  or  other  a  great  change  came  over  the  man. 
He  early  leaned  to  Beissel,  and  yet  Beissel  was  unfriendly 
to  him,  because  he  and  Henry  Traut  visited  Stuntz  who 
had  been  excommunicated  by  Beissel.  He  was  especially 
intimate  with  Traut,  who  was  at  one  time  a  professed  be- 


76  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

liever  in  the  teaching  of  the  Hermits  of  the  Ridge,  and 
had  taken  the  vow  of  celibacy,  but  afterwards  married  a 
widow.  This  man  was  Stephen  Koch.  He  states  that 
the  immediate  cause  of  his  spiritual  unrest  was  the  death 
of  Traut,  January  4,  1733.  His  troubles  multiplied.  He 
had  been  seized  with  the  spirit  of  mysticism.  He  was 
strong  under  the  conviction  that  he  should  take  the  vow  of 
celibacy,  and  yet  he  was  betrothed  to  a  widow.  In  addi- 
tion he  states  that  he  was  a  great  sufferer  from  physical 
ailment,  so  that  he  at  times  lay  for  days  in  the  greatest  ex- 
tremity. 

Under  these  circumstances,  Koch  began  to  have  ecstatic 
visions,  which  he  related  from  time  to  time,  and  some  of 
which  were  published,  first  in  Germany  and  also  by  Chris- 
topher Saur,  of  Germantown,1  "Apparitions  of  Spirits," 
1st  edition,  1744;  2d  edition,  1748.  The  nature  of  these 
apparitions  may  best  be  given  by  an  example,  as  related 
in  his  own  words:  "On  the  third  of  May,  1735,  at  Ger- 
mantown, as  late  at  night  I  went  behind  the  house  into  the 
orchard,  it  being  bright  moonlight,  there  came  to  me  a  de- 
lightful odor,  partly  from  the  blossoms  of  the  trees,  partly 
from  the  flowers  in  the  garden,  whereat  I  sobbing  spoke 
to  God :  '  O,  my  God,  everything  is  in  its  order  and  con- 
tributes to  Thy  glory  and  honor,  save  I  alone  !  For  I  am 
created  and  called  by  a  holy  calling  to  love  Thee  above 
everything  and  to  become  a  pleasant  savor  unto  the  glori- 
fying of  Thy  name.  Now,  however,  I  behold  the  contra- 
diction, for  I  not  only  do  not  love  Thee  as  I  ought,  but  am 
also  become  an  evil  smell  in  Thy  nostrils.  Alas,  unfor- 
tunate that  I  am  !     Must  I  then  pass  my  days  in  such  mis- 


1  See  list  of  publications  on  Sower  Chart,  by  Chas.  G.  Sower,  Verschiedene 
alte  und  neuere  Geschichten  von  Erscheinungen  der  Geister,  ist  Ed.,  1744  ;  2d 
Ed.,  1748. 


Visions  of  Stephen  Koch.  77 

ery?  I  gladly  would  love  God,  the  highest  good,  but  I 
cannot.  The  world  with  all  its  glories  cannot  satisfy  my 
sad  spirit,  for  I  ever  see  before  my  eyes  spiritual  and  bod- 
ily death.' 

"While  I  thus  lamented  to  God,  it  seemed  to  me  as 
though  suddenly  a  flame  of  God's  love  struck  into  me, 
which  entirely  illumined  me  within,  and  I  heard  a  voice 
say  to  me  :  '  Yet  one  thing  thou  lackest.'  I  asked,  *  What 
is  it  then?'  The  answer  was,  *  Thou  dost  not  know  God 
and  never  hast  really  known  him.'  I  said,  *  Yes,  that  is 
so,  but  how  shall  I  attain  to  it?  '  Then  it  seemed  as  though 
I  were  beside  myself.  But  when  I  came  to  myself  again, 
I  felt  an  inexpressibly  pleasing  love  to  God  in  my  heart, 
and  on  the  other  hand  all  anxiety,  with  all  the  temptations 
of  the  unclean  spirits,  had  vanished.  Yea,  it  seemed  as 
if  all  my  transgressions  were  pardoned  and  sealed,  and 
day  and  night  there  was  nothing  else  in  my  heart  but  joy, 
love  and  praise  to  God." 

These  visions  continued  from  time  to  time  for  several 
years,  and  Koch  freely  related  them  and  sought  every  op- 
portunity to  promulgate  his  strange  doctrines.  In  this  work 
he  had  plenty  of  help  from  Ephrata,  as  frequent  visits  were 
made  from  there  to  Germantown.  He  now  determined  to 
live  a  secluded  solitary  life,  and  retired  to  the  quiet  of 
Wissahickon.  He  greatly  influenced  with  his  visions  the 
young  Alexander  Mack,  still  grieving  over  the  death  of 
his  father;  also  Henry  Kalckglasser  and  others.  He 
readily  induced  Mack  to  retire  with  him  to  the  Wissahickon. 
There  was  much  agitation,  and  Koch  made  converts  until 
the  congregation  was  more  or  less  divided.  Receiving  all 
possible  encouragement,  Koch  now  commenced  to  hold 
public  meetings  of  his  own,  which  meetings  were  fre- 
quently addressed  by  Peter  Miller  and  others  from  Ephrata. 


78 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 


The  crisis  was  finally  reached,  and  Koch  and  his  adher- 
ents marched  out  of  Germantown,  most  of  them  never  to 
return.  They  journeyed  to  Ephrata,  there  to  bury  them- 
selves in  seclusion  behind  monastic  walls.  A  few,  when 
they  realized  their  disappointment,  repented  and  returned ; 
others  there  were  who  died  in  the  sadness  and  solitude  of 
their  disappointment.  Perhaps  most  of  this  exodus  took 
place  March  27,  1739.     It  was  a  sad  day  for  Germantown  ; 


THE  OLD  "  MONASTERY  "  ON  THE  WISSAHICKON. 

many  valuable  members  had  been  lost,  and  some  of  the  best 
families  were  represented.  There  was  probably  only  one 
thing  that  maintained  Germantown  under  these  circum- 
stances, and  that  was  the  faithful  devotion  of  Elder  Peter 
Becker  and  those  who  stood  with  him. 

The  following  names  are  given  as  composing  the  exodus 
of  1739  :  Stephen  Koch  ;  Heinrich  Kalckglaser,  and  wife  ; 
Valentine   Mack,    and  wife  Maria  (Hilderbrand) ;    Louis 


Exodus  to  E-phrata* 


79 


Hocker,  his  wife  Margretha,  and  daughter  Maria ;  Johan- 
nes Hilderbrand,  andjwife ;  Johannes  Pettikoffer,  and  wife 
Anna  Elizabeth ;  the  widow  Gorgas  and  her  children. 
Among  the  single  persons  who  joined  the  celibates  at 
Ephrata,  besides  Koch,  were  Alexander  Mack,  Johannes 
Reismann,  Christian^Eckstein,  Heinrich  Hocker,  Martha 
Kinsing,  Miriam  Gorgas  and  Elizabeth  Eckstein. 

The  chapter  that  follows  indicates  the  condition  of 
things,  thirty  years  later,  among  the  Brethren  congrega- 
tions in  Pennsylvania.  Alexander  Mack's  return  will  be 
considered  in  the  chapterLon  Germantown. 


THE  "WYCK  "  HOUSE  GERMANTOWN. 

CHAPTER   X. 
Early  Congregations. 


T  has  already  been  noted  that  the  Brethren,  on 
coming  to  America,  were  scattered  into  dis- 
tant parts  of  the  country,  settling  in  the  vari- 
ous places  that  offered  conditions  best  suited 
to  their  tastes.  In  due  time  these  scattered 
settlements  became  congregations  which  at  an  early  day 
well  covered  the  entire  eastern  part  of  Pennsylvania. 
These  congregations,  at  first  small  and  struggling,  in  due 
time  had  many  accessions  to  their  numbers,  until  many 
families  were  represented  in  the  membership,  wherever 
these  congregations  were  located.  Hundreds  of  German 
families  were  thus  enrolled  before  the  close  of  the  cen- 
tury, and  tens  of  thousands  of  Pennsylvania-German  de- 
scendants find  that  their  ancestors  were  enrolled  as  mem- 
bers of  the  Brethren  church,  in  the  early  German  settle- 
ments of  eastern  Pennsylvania.  For  lists  of  members  of 
these  early  congregations,  we  are  largely  indebted  to 
Morgan  Edwards,  that  thoughtful  and  far-seeing  historian, 

(80) 


Beggar  stown .  8 1 

who  gathered  so  much  valuable  information  in  his  Ma- 
terials towards  a  History  of  the  American  Baptists.  In 
some  cases  the  lists  of  membership  he  gives  are  practically 
the  only  ones  in  existence.  I  freely  quote  from  him  in 
the  materials  for  this  chapter.  See  as  above  named,  Vol. 
i,  Part  IV.1     He  wrote  in  the  year  1770. 

Beggarstown. — Germantown.2 

"This  takes  its  distinction  from  a  little  village  of  the 
above  name,  in  the  township  of  Germantown,  eight  miles 
northwest  from  the  city.  The  meeting  house  is  of  stone, 
thirty  feet  square,  erected  this  year,  on  a  lot  of  eighty 
rods,  the  gift  of  one  Peter  Shilbert.  On  the  same  lot 
stands  their  old  building  erected  by  one  John  Pettikoffer 
for  his  dwelling  house  in  1731.  The  families  belonging 
to  this  congregation  are  about  thirty ;  whereof  fifty-seven 
persons  are  baptized  and  in  the  communion  of  the  church. 
This  was  their  state  in  1770.  For  their  beginning  we 
have  no  further  back  to  look  than  December  25,  1723. 

"The  membership  in  1770  was  as  follows  :  Alexander 
Mack,  minister,  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  Christopher 
Sower,  exhorter,  with  his  wife  and  son,  Margaret  Boyer, 
deaconess,  George  Shriber  and  wife,  Henry  Slingluff  and 
two  daughters,  Philip  Weaver  and  wife,  Richard  Roob, 
Michael  Keyser,  Peter  Keyser  and  wife,  Peter  Lybert 
and  wife,  John  Slingluff  and  wife,  Henry  Slingluff, 
Anthony  Snyder  and  wife,  Jacob  Bowman  and  wife,  Jus- 
tus Fox  and  wife,  John  Kime,  Conrad  Good,  Conrad 
Stamm   and  wife,  Hannah   Stamm,  Mary   Baker,  Sarah 


1The  copy  I  had  access  to  was  kindly  loaned  by  its  present  owner,  Chas. 
M.  Benson,  Germantown.  The  book  was  once  the  property  of  Henry  Sharp- 
nack. 

2  See  chapter  on  Germantown. 


82 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 


Abraham  Duboy.  83 

Baker,  Susannah  Baker,  Eve  Fith,  Elizabeth  Boyer,  Mary 
Bossert,  Margaret  Herszback,  Magdalen  Mellinger,  Eliza- 
beth Roob,  Christian  de  Lashet  and  wife,  William  Spyra 
and  wife,  Nathaniel  Shryber,  Katharine  Shryber,  Henry 
Sharpnack  and  wife,  Mary  Nyse,  Rudolph  Harly  and 
wife,  Mary  Fend,  Sybelia  Ent. 

11  Greatswamp. 
"  This  society  is  distinguished  by  the  above  name,  which 
is  a  name  of  a  tract  of  land  called  the  Greatswamp.  The 
meeting  is  kept  at  the  house  of  Mr.  John  Frick  in  Upper- 
milford  township,  in  the  county  of  Bucks,  about  40  miles 
northwest  from  Philadelphia.  The  families  belonging  to 
the  society  are  about  20  whereof  28  persons  are  baptized. 
Thus  stood  things  with  them  in  1770.  Their  beginning 
was  in  this  manner.  In  the  year  1733  one  Salome  Miller 
and  Joseph  Miller  her  brother,  John  Brech  and  wife,  Peter 
Longanacre  and  Peter  Rhode  were  baptized  by  Mr.  John 
Naass.  In  1735  were  baptized  by  Mr.  Peter  Baker  and 
Mr.  Martin  Urner,  one  Hanse  Zuk  and  wife,  John  Sleifer, 
and  John  Frick  and  wife  ;  and  the  same  time  had  the  Lord's 
supper  administered  to  them  by  Mr.  Peter  Baker.  This 
was  the  period  of  their  existence  as  a  society;  and  11  their 
number.  They  have  existed  for  35  years  without  any 
remarkable  event,  except  that  count  Zeinzendorf  took 
away  some  of  them  in  the  year  1752.  At  first  they  were 
visited  by  ministers  from  other  parts,  and  increased  fast. 
Several  of  the  Mennonites  joined  them.  But  since  that 
time  the  increase  has  been  inconsiderable.  The  first  settled 
minister  they  had  was 

"Rev.  Abraham  Duboy. 
"  He  was  born  in  1679  at  Epstein  in  Germany.     Bred  a 
Presbyterian.     Embraced  the  principles  of  the  Baptists  in 


84  The  Germci7i  Baptist  Brethren, 

1712.  Came  to  America  in  1728.  Settled  at  Perkiomen  ; 
and  from  thence  went  to  the  Greatswamp  in  1738,  where 
he  died  and  was  buried  March,  1748.  Since  that  time  Mr. 
John  Frick  hath  preached  to  them ;  but  is  not  ordained." 
It  seems  that  Duboy  was  a  minister  already  in  Germany 
and  was  a  man  of  considerable  prominence.  He  joined 
the  church  in  the  Marienborn  district,  but  a  few  years  later 
joined  the  mother  congregation  at  Swartzenau  and  became 
an  assistant  to  Alexander  Mack.  He  was  a  modest,  pious 
and  devoted  man.  He  was  unmarried.  A.  H.  Cassel, 
the  antiquarian,  relates  of  him  that  he  had  a  strange  pre- 
sentiment of  his  death.  On  the  morning  of  the  day  on 
which  he  died  he  informed  the  family  where  he  lived  that 
the  time  of  his  departure  had  come.  He  dressed  in  a 
shroud  and  invited  the  family  to  join  him  in  singing  "  Nun 
fahr  ich  hin  mit  Freud  en,  ins  rechte  Vaterland"  etc.,  then, 
after  a  fervent  prayer,  he  reclined  on  a  couch  and  breathed 
his  last,  as  one  would  fall  into  a  quiet  sleep. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  members  as  given  by  Morgan 
Edwards  :  John  Frick,  exhorter,  and  wife,  Laurence  Er- 
boch  and  wife,  Andrew  Meinzinger,  John  Demud  and  wife, 
John  Sleifer  and  wife,  Henry  Kun,  Philip  Goodman  and 
wife,  Philip  Deal,  Frederick  Deal,  John  Redroch  and  wife, 
Egite  Christian  and  wife,  Lodowick  Christian  and  wife, 
Jacob  Staut  and  wife,  Mary  Christian,  widow  Rinker, 
Catherine  Rinker,  widow  dinger,  widow  Crayling,  Freny 
Trissel. 

Coventry. 

This  was  the  second  congregation  organized.  It  had  a 
large  number  of  accessions  from  time  to  time  and  has  main- 
tained a  continuous  existence  until  the  present  time.  It 
has  furnished  many  members  for  colonization  in  different 
parts  of  the  country.     The  church   has   had  an  efficient 


The  Coventry  Church.  85 

ministry.  Its  first  members  were  "  The  First  Fruits  of  the 
Church  in  America,"  as  already  noted  in  the  organization 
of  Germantown.  Because  of  its  early  importance,  it  will 
be  of  interest  to  give  some  detail  of  its  history,  at  least  its 
earlier  history. 

Professor  I.  N.  Urner,  as  an  introduction  to  his  history 
of  the  Urner  Family ',  writes  a  sketch  of  the  history  of 
the  Coventry  church,  from  which  I  quote  as  follows  :  "  As 
the  Urners  were  the  founders  of  the  Coventry  Brethren 
church,  and  its  preachers  and  bishops  for  the  first  eighty- 
seven  years  of  its  existence,  a  sketch  of  its  history  seems 
the  proper  introduction  to  the  genealogy  of  the  Urner 
family. 

"  The  Coventry  church  took  its  name  from  the  township 
in  which  it  is  located,  and  the  township  is  supposed  to  have 
received  its  name  through  Samuel  Nutt,  an  early  settler 
and  iron-master,  who  came  from  Coventry,  in  Warwick- 
shire, in  England.  The  township  first  took  the  name 
Coventry  in  the  year  1724,  the  same  year  in  which  the 
church  was  organized.  *  *  *  At  its  formation,  the  town- 
ship of  Coventry  comprised  not  only  the  land  along  the 
Schuylkill  River,  now  North  Coventry,  .East  Coventry, 
South  Coventry,  but  all  of  the  upper  part  of  Chester 
County,  and  even  a  part  of  the  present  county  of  Lan- 
caster." 

The  organization  of  this  congregation  on  November  7, 
1724,  has  already  been  noted  in  Chapter  VI.,  and  its  con- 
stituent members  named  at  the  same  time. 

"  While  it  had  many  accessions,  its  growth  in  number 
was  retarded  by  heavy  colonizations  from  the  Church. 
The  members  were  mostly  farmers,  and  while  the  land  was 
good,  the  lands  in  other  localities  were  better.  Some 
moved  to  what  was  then  called  the  Conecocheague,  now 


86  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

embraced  in  Franklin  and  Perr}T  counties,  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  Washington  County,  Maryland ;  some  to  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley,  in  Virginia ;  and  some  to  Carroll  and  Fred- 
erick counties,  in  Maryland,  where  the  Urners,  the  Wolfes, 
and  the  Crumbachers  are  still  found." 

The  Coventry  Church  was  in  charge  of  Elder  Peter 
Becker  of  Germantown,  from  the  time  of  its  organization 
until  1729.  The  first  resident  minister  was  Martin  Urner, 
who  was  ordained  to  the  Eldership  by  Alexander  Mack, 
Sr.,  in  1729,  at  which  time  he  took  upon  himself  the  care 
of  the  church.  The  following  account  is  given  of  this 
Martin  Urner,  Sr.,  in  Urner  Family:  "Martin  Urner, 
the  founder  of  the  Coventry  Brethren  church,  and  its  first 
bishop,  was  born  in  Alsace,  then  a  province  of  France,  in 
the  year  1695.  The  family  had  been  driven  by  religious 
persecution  out  of  the  Canton  of  Uri,  Switzerland,  whence 
the  name  Urner,  and  took  refuge  in  Alsace.  About  1708, 
Ulrich  Urner,  with  his  three  sons — Jacob,  Hans  and  Martin 
— emigrated  to  Pennsylvania,  and  is  said  to  have  settled 
for  awhile  at  Roxborough,  near  Philadelphia.  In  171 2 
the  name  of  Martin  Urner  appears  among  the  settlers  of 
Lancaster  county.  In  1718  he  bought  a  tract  of  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres  of  land  of  the  Penns,  in  what  is  now 
called  Coventry  township,  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania, 
on  the  Schuylkill  river,  immediately  opposite  the  present 
town  of  Pottstown.  On  this  property,  now  called  Bell- 
wood,  he  and  his  descendants  lived  long  years  afterwards, 
and  on  part  of  the  land  the  Coventry  Brethren  church  and 
the  Coventry  Brethren  graveyard  are  located.  He  died 
in  1755,  and  was  buried  in  the  Coventry  Brethren  grave- 
yard." 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  Martin  Urner  was  born  in  1695  ; 
came  to  America  in  1708  ;  was  baptized  in  1723  ;  was  or- 
dained in  1729,  and  died  in  1755. 


Coventry  Brethren.  87 

Morgan  Edwards  gives  the  following  view  of  the  church 
in  1770:  "This  takes  its  distinction  from  the  township 
where  most  of  the  members  reside,  in  the  county  of  Ches- 
ter, 37  miles  from  Philadelphia.  Coventry  is  on  the  banks 
of  the  Schuylkill,  opposite  to  Potsgrove.  These  people 
have  no  public  place  of  worship,  but  hold  their  meetings 
in  a  kind  of  rotation  at  five  private  houses.  The  present 
minister  is  Mr.  Martin  Urner,  who  has  to  his  assistance  Mr. 
Peter  Reinhart.  The  families  belonging  to  them  are  about 
22,  whereof  40  persons  are  baptized.  This  was  their  state 
in  1770." 

While  they  had  no  meeting-house  in  1770,  they  probably 
built  their  first  house  in  1772,  two  years  after  Germantown 
had  been  built.  The  Martin  Urner  referred  to  in  the  account 
of  Morgan  Edwards,  is  the  second  Martin  Urner,  nephew 
of  the  first.  He  was  a  son  of  Jacob  Urner  and  was  born 
in  1725,  one  mile  northeast  of  the  present  town  of  Potts- 
town,  in  New  Hanover  township,  then  in  Philadelphia 
county,  Pennsylvania,  but  now  in  Montgomery  county.  He 
joined  the  church  at  an  early  age,  and  was  a  very  active 
and  prominent  preacher  in  his  day.  After  the  death  of 
his  uncle  in  3755,  he  was  ordained  elder  or  bishop  of  the 
Coventry  church  in  1756,  and  was  in  charge  of  the  con- 
gregation until  his  death  in  1799.  The  church  flourished 
under  his  ministry.  This  second  Martin  Urner  was  an  in- 
timate friend  of  the  second  Alexander  Mack  of  German- 
town. 

"List  of  Preachers  of  the  Coventry  Brethren  Church 
from  1724  to  1893,"  according  to  I.  N.  Urner: 


Born. 

Died. 

Martin  Urner,  Sr., 

1695 

1775 

Martin  Urner,  Jr., 

1725 

1799 

Jonas  Urner, 

1772 

1813 

88  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

Born.  Died. 


Casper  Ingles, 

Peter  Rinhart, 

1733 

1806 

Martin  Rinhart, 

1757 

1820 

Abraham  Rinhart, 

1770 

1842 

George  Price, 

*753 

1823 

John  Price,  Sr., 

1782 

1850 

John  Price,  Jr., 

1810 

1879 

Jacob  Harley, 

1786 

1842 

John  Harley, 

1812 

David  Keim, 

1802 

Peter  Hollobush, 

1805 

1872 

Jacob  Conner, 

1834 

Isaac  Urner  Brower, 

1844 

Jesse  P.  Hetric, 

1844 

John  Y.  Eisenburg, 

1840 

List  of  members  in  1770,  of  the  Coventry  Brethren 
church : 

Martin  Urner,  minister,  and  wife,  Peter  Reinhart,  ex- 
horter,  Owen  Reinhart,  Henry  Dasker  and  wife,  Nicholos 
Harwick  and  wife,  Abraham  Grub  and  wife,  Christian 
Monsieur,  Barbara  Miller,  Barbara  Welty,  Frederick 
Reinhart  and  wife,  Barbara  Urner,  Elizabeth  Ingles, 
Catherine  Grumbacker,  Catharine  Boch,  John  Eiker,  Jacob 
Pfauts  and  wife,  Abraham  Boch,  Andrew  Woolf,  Easther 
Switser,  Wendle  Danfelsner,  Henry  Bear  and  wife,  Jacob 
Sweitser  and  wife,  Maud  Reinhart,  Jacob  Light  and  wife, 
Philip  Waggoner  and  wife,  Eliz.  Holderman,  Anthony  Ber- 
nard and  daughter,  John  Light  and  wife. 

Oley. 

44  This  society  takes  its  distinction  from  the  township 
where  most  of  the  people  reside,  in  the  county  of  Berks, 
fifty-four  miles  northwest  from  Philadelphia.    The  present 


THE    GERMAN    BAPTIST    BRETHREN, 


S3r/r 


DUNKER    BAPTISMAL    CERTIFICATE. 


JOHANNES   REYER    BORN    HUG.   9,    1800;    BAPTIZED  SEPT.,    1825. 

ENGRAVED   BY  C     F.    EGELMAN.  ORIGINAL   IN   SACHSE   COLLECTION. 


Cocalico,  89 

preachers  are  Mess.  Martin  Gaby  and  Jacob  Joder,  but  not 
ordained.  The  families  belonging  to  the  place  are  about 
twelve,  whereof  twenty  persons  are  baptized.  This  is  their 
present  state.  They  had  their  beginning  about  1732,  when 
one  Ritters,  Shilbert,  Blanth  and  others,  did  unite  for  com- 
munion of  saints,  having  Peter  Baker  to  their  assistance. 
Since  this  time  they  have  no  ordained  minister,  but  are 
visited  by  Rev.  George  Kleine.  This  church  is  much  re- 
duced by  reason  of  removals  of  families  to  other  parts,  par- 
ticularly to  Conecocheague  in  1743." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  here,  as  elsewhere,  Peter  Becker,  of 
Germantown,  was  active  in  organizing  the  work,  and  that 
the  Oley  church,  like  Coventry  and,  in  fact,  all  the  early 
congregations,  lost  heavily  by  colonizations  to  other  parts. 
Thus  all  the  congregations  furnished  their  quota  towards 
making  up  the  advance  guard  that  gradually  carried  the 
influence  of  the  church  into  every  new  territory  in  the 
opening  up  of  the  Great  West.  For  many  years  they  were 
visited  by  Elder  George  Kleine,  of  the  Tulpehocken,  so 
active  and  helpful  in  many  places.  While  Martin  Gaby 
was  not  ordained  in  1770,  he  was  ordained  some  years  later. 

The  membership  in  1770  was  as  follows  :  Martin  Gaby, 
exhorter,  and  wife  ;  John  Joder,  exhorter,  and  wife  ;  Con- 
rad Price  and  wife,  David  Price  and  wife,  David  Kinsey 
and  wife,  Jacob  Baker  and  wife,  Christian  Kinsey  and 
wife,  Peter  Kleine,  Liss  Ellis,  Margaret  Harpine,  Catha- 
rine Plank,  Daniel  Kleine  and  wife. 

Cocalico. — Conestoga. 
"  This  society  is  distinguished  by  the  above  name  which 
is  the  name  of  a  little  river  near  to  which  the  people  re- 
side, in  Cocalico  township  and  county  of  Lancaster,  60 
miles   w  n  w  from  Philadelphia.     The  minister  is  Rev. 


90  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

Jacob  Sonday,  who  has  Mr.  John  Landis  to  his  assistance. 
Mr.  Sonday  was  born  in  Germany  in  1700,  came  to  this 
country  in  1735,  was  ordained  in  1763,  at  which  time  he 
took  on  him  the  oversight  of  the  church.  He  married 
Mary  Landis  by  whom  he  has  one  son.  The  families  be- 
longing to  the  society  are  about  53  whereof  86  persons  are 
baptized.  This  is  their  present  state.  They  originated 
about  the  year  1735,  when  the  following  persons  separated 
from  the  church  of  Ephrata  and  became  a  distinct  society 
viz.  :  Michael  Pffauts,  Rant  Woolf,  John  Frantz,  Emick 
Reyer,  George  Reyer,  John  Landis,  Samuel  Good,  Henry 
Sneider,  Philip  Rouland  and  others,  having  Rev.  Peter 
Baker  to  their  assistance.  The  first  minister  they  had  was 
Rev.  Michael  Frantz,  a  native  of  Switzerland.  He  was 
ordained  in  1734,  and  the  next  year  took  on  him  the  over- 
sight of  the  church.  He  died  in  1748  and  was  buried  at 
Cocalico.  After  his  death  Rev.  Michael  Pffautz  and 
others  preached  to  them  until  their  present  minister  was 
ordained." 

The  above  account  is  concerning  the  Conestoga  congre- 
gation. It  will  be  remembered  that  there  was  a  great 
missionary  tour  undertaken  from  Germantown,  in  the  fall 
of  1724,  led  by  Elder  Peter  Becker.  See  Chapter  VI.  for 
full  description.  Upon  this  occasion  there  were  a  number 
baptized  in  the  Conestoga  country,  and  a  church  was  orga- 
nized on  November  12,  1724,  with  Conrad  Beissel  as  min- 
ister. He  soon  preached  his  strange  doctrines,  and  in 
1728  left  the  Conestoga  church  and  took  many  members 
with  him  to  form  his  new  organization,  which  ultimately 
he  located  as  the  Ephrata  Monastic  Community.  The 
Germantown  Brethren  took  care  of  the  remnant  for  some 
time,  until  about  the  year  1735,  when  they  were  organized 
according  to  the  above  account.     Elder  Michael  Frantz 


White  Oakland.  91 

was  their  first  minister  and  leader.  He  was  born  in  Switz- 
erland in  1687;  came  to  America  in  the  year  1727,  and 
settled  on  the  Conestoga.  He  proved  a  giant  of  strength 
to  the  little  congregation,  and  in  a  few  years  of  his  min- 
istry it  prospered  greatly  and  there  were  several  hundred 
accessions.  He  was  an  energetic  and  efficient  workman. 
His  ministry  was  not  long,  for  he  died  in  1747  or  1748; 
but  he  left  the  work  in  a  well-organized  condition,  and  he 
was  succeeded  in  the  Eldership  by  Michael  Pfautz,  whose 
ministry  was  equally  efficient  and  successful.  He  was 
born  in  Germany  in  1709,  and  came  to  America  in  1727. 
Having  been  ordained  by  Elder  Frantz  just  a  few  weeks 
before  his  death,  Elder  Pfautz  remained  in  charge  of  the 
congregation  for  more  than  twenty  years,  during  which 
time  large  numbers  were  added  to  the  Church  by  baptism. 
He  died  in  1769,  and  was  succeeded  by  Elder  Jacob  Son- 
tag  ;  but  it  seems  that  Elder  Christian  Longenecker  of  the 
Whiteoakland  Church,  was  in  charge  of  the  congregation. 
In  1770,  the  membership  was  as  follows  :  Rev.  Jacob 
Sonday  and  wife,  John  Landis,  exhorter,  and  wife,  Peter 
Eychelberger  and  wife,  Michael  Frantz  and  wife,  Henry 
Mohler  and  wife,  Peter  Reyer  and  wife,  Tobias  Millar  and 
wife,  Christopher  Becker  and  wife,  Elizabeth  Lessley, 
Catharine  Harlacher,  Ann  Mohler,  Magdalene  Millinger, 
Daniel  Ballinger  and  wife,  John  Rosh  and  wife,  Daniel 
Reyer  and  wife,  John  Reyer  and  wife,  Martin  Meyer  and 
wife,  Jermiah  Woolf  and  wife,  George  Schwarts  and  wife, 
Jacob  Landis  and  wife,  David  Landis,  Christopher  Wes- 
tenberger  and  wife,  Jacob  Sponhauer  and  wife,  Christopher 
Widder  and  wife,  Jacob  Knodel  and  wife,  Salome  Har- 
lacher, Barbara  Frantz,  Catherine  Reyer,  Margaret  Lan- 
dis, Barbara  Steiner,  Barbara  Schob,  Henry  Schneider 
and  wife,  Daniel  Hollinger  and  wife,  Christopher  Reyer 


92  The  Germa?i  Baptist  Brethren. 

and  wife,  John  Meyer  and  wife,  Samuel  Good  and  wife, 
Eva  Sychrift,  Jermiah  Woolf,  Jr.,  and  wife,  Jonas  Joner 
and  wife,  Jacob  Heller  and  wife,  Mrs.  Histant,  Mrs.  Moser, 
Mrs.  Behr,  Christopher  Haas  and  wife,  Jacob  Harnley  and 
wife,  Magdalene  Landis,  Mary  Frantz,  Magdalene  Bel- 
lenger,  Mary  Koch,  Barbara  Koch,  Henry  Schneider,  Jr., 
and  wife,  Susannah  Landis,  Catherine  Landis. 

The  Conestoga  church  had  an  able,  aggressive  and 
efficient  ministry,  and  before  the  close  of  the  century,  there 
were  probably  five  hundred  baptized  members,  the  work 
of  those  years.  Many  of  these  members,  scattered  by 
colonization,  far  and  wide,  laid  the  foundation  for  many 
new  congregations  in  this  and  other  States. 

Whiteoakland. — White  Oak  Church. 
"  This  society  is  distinguished  as  above  from  a  tract  of 
land  so  called,  in  the  parish  of  Warwick,  Lancaster  county, 
75  miles  west  by  north  from  Philadelphia,  and  two  miles 
from  Lititz.  They  hold  their  meetings  at  private  houses. 
The  minister  is  Rev.  Christian  Longanacre,  who  was  born 
November  n,  1732,  in  Raffo  township.  Ordained  May 
15,  1769,  at  which  time  he  took  on  him  the  care  of  the 
church.  He  married  Margaret  Geib  by  whom  he  had  six 
children.  The  families  belonging  to  the  society  are  about 
39,  whereof  65  persons  are  baptized.  This  is  their  present 
state.  They  began  in  this  manner.  About  the  year  1729 
one  George  Reyer,  John  Langanacre  and  others  came 
from  Germany  and  settled  in  this  neighborhood.  After 
them  came  several  more  from  other  places  who  in  the  year 
1736  united  together  and  had  the  Lord's  Supper  adminis- 
tered to  them  by  Rev.  Michael  Pffautz.  He  was  their 
first  minister  but  lived  at  Cocalico.  He  married  Catherine 
Schluch  by  whom  he  had  four  children.     Was  ordained 


Big  Szvatara.  93 

in  the  year  1735.     Died   May  21,   1769,  leaving   behind 
him  a  good  character." 

The  list  of  members  in  1770  was  as  follows  :  Rev.  Chris- 
tian Langanacre  and  wife,  John  Zug  and  wife,  Christian 
Zug  and  wife,  John  Langanacre  and  wife,  John  Pffautz 
and  wife,  Henry  Kuensing,  Jacob  Kuensing  and  wife, 
Christian  Krabiel  and  wife,  Jacob  Zug  and  wife,  widow 
Huber,  Catherine  Bitner,  Elizabeth  Reir,  Abraham  Flohry 
and  wife,  Conrad  Gingle,  George  Mohler  and  wife,  Eliza- 
beth Huft,  Martin  Schuh  and  wife,  Henry  Giebel  and  wife, 
Barbara  Eby  and  four  daughters,  Henry  Eter  and  wife, 
Elizabeth  Langanacre,  Henry  Langanacre  and  wife,  Ul- 
rick  Langanacre,  John  Hackman  and  wife,  Henry  Stholer 
and  wife,  John  Lautermilch  and  wife,  George  Kleine  and 
wife,  Catherine  Gish,  John  Frantz  and  wife,  Ann  Huber, 

Fronica ,  Catherine  Reyer,  Salome  Borgart,  Mrs. 

Kratzer,  Conrad  Hausser  and  wife,  and  George  Stohler 
and  wife,  Jacob  Hershy  and  wife,  Andrew  Eby  and  wife. 

Greatswartaro. — Big  Swatara  Church. 
"  This  church  is  so  distinguished  from  a  river  near  to 
which  the  people  dwell ;  and  sometimes  by  the  name  of 
Eastconewago  which  is  another  river  that  runs  through  the 
neighborhood.  The  meeting  is  held  chiefly  at  private 
houses  in  the  township  of  Mount  Joy,  county  of  Lancaster, 
20  miles  from  Lancaster  and  86  miles  west  by  north  from 
Philadelphia.  Their  preachers  are  Messrs.  George  Miller 
and  Adam  Hammaker,  but  not  ordained.  The  families 
belonging  to  the  congregation  are  about  twenty,  whereof 
39  persons  are  baptized.  This  is  their  present  state. 
They  began  in  this  manner.  In  the  year  1752  the  said 
George  Miller  embraced  the  principles  of  the  Baptists,  and 
soon  after,  his  wife.     Others  moved  hither  from  White- 


94  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

Oakland,  and  in  the  year  1756  united  into  a  society,  hav- 
ing Rev.  Michael  Pfautz  to  their  assistance.  He  con- 
tinued to  visit  them  while  he  lived  ;  and  after  him,  others. 
They  purpose  soon  to  ordain  Mr.  Miller  to  be  their  min- 
ister." 

The  39  members  in  1770  were  as  follows:  George 
Miller,  exhorter,  and  wife  and  daughter,  Adam  Ham- 
macker,  exhorter,  and  wife  and  daughter,  Peter  Eritzstone 
and  wife,  Philip  Roemer  and  wife,  John  Buck  and  wife, 
John  Eter  and  wife,  Jacob  Metsegar  and  wife,  Henry 
Thomas  and  wife,  Christopher  Branser  and  wife,  Mar- 
garet Thomas,  Philip  Reicker  and  wife,  Peter  Bersh  and 
wife,  Henry  Stohner  and  wife,  Wendel  Merich  and  wife, 
Frederick  Hess  and  wife,  Jacob  Eter  and  wife,  George 
Balshbach  and  wife,  George  Henry  and  wife,  Barbara 
Henry,  Freny  Cass. 

Little  Swatara  Church. 
"  This  church  also  takes  its  distinction  from  a  river  of 
the  above  name,  in  the  township  of  Tulpehocken  and 
county  of  Berks,  twenty-five  miles  from  Reading  and 
eighty-one  miles  northwest  from  Philadelphia.  Some  of 
the  people  live  in  Bether  township,  in  Lancaster  county. 
They  hold  their  worship  in  private  houses.  Their  preacher 
is  Mr.  Peter  Heckman,  but  is  not  ordained.  The  families 
belonging  to  the  society  are  about  nineteen,  whereof  forty- 
five  persons  are  baptized.  This  is  their  present  state. 
Their  beginning  was  in  this  manner:  About  year  1745 
one  George  Besher  settled  in  this  neighborhood,  and  one 
Michael  Frantz,  Peter  Heckman,  John  Frantz  and  others. 
These  were  baptized  by  Rev.  George  Kleine,  and  in  1757 
coalesced  into  a  church,  having  the  said  Kleine  to  their 
assistance.     He  has  ministered  the  Lord's  supper  to  them 


NorthkilL  95 

ever  since,  but  they  purpose   soon   to   ordain   Mr.  Peter 
Heckman." 

The  members  were  as  follows  :  Peter  Heckman,  minis- 
ter, and  wife,  Jacob  Heckman  and  wife,  Michael  Frantz 
and  wife,  Nicholas  Gerst  and  wife,  Jacob  Moyer  and  wife, 
George  Beasher,  David  Marge  and  wife,  Simon  Menich 
and  wife,  John  Frantz  and  wife,  Christian  Frantz  and  wife, 
Rose  Shnables,  Jacob  Smith  and  wife,  Liss  Kentzel,  Adam 
Henrich,  Mrs.  Cyder,  Philip  Zeigler  and  wife,  Jacob  Bren- 
eisen  and  wife,  David  Kleine  and  wife,  widow  Benedict, 
Elizabeth  Benedict,  Sophy  Kish,  Leonard  Sebalt  and  wife, 
John  Grove,  Jacob  Baker  and  wife,  Jacob  Deal  and  wife, 
Hans  Stohler  and  wife,  Jacob  Beshor  and  wife. 

NORTHKILL. 

This  is  an  illustration  of  how  each  scattered  settlement 
became  an  organization,  wherever  there  were  a  few  mem- 
bers to  form  a  nucleus.  It  shows  too  how  some  relatively 
small  congregations  maintained  their  existence  under  very 
unfavorable  conditions.  Because  of  an  unfavorable  fron- 
tier position  and  colonization  to  other  parts,  Northkill  made 
very  slow  progress  for  many  years.  We  know  little  of  its 
early  struggles  except  what  Morgan  Edwards  records.  I 
might  take  his  facts  and  dress  them  up  in  other  language, 
as  others  have  done,  but  I  have  preferred  in  this  case,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  other  congregations,  to  use  his  own  language, 
which  is  often  interestingly  quaint.  In  this  region  of  the 
Tulpehocken,  there  is  by  that  name  to-day  a  strong  and 
flourishing  congregation  and  has  been  for  many  years. 

"  This  little  society  is  distinguished  as  above  from  a 
small  river  called  Northkill,  in  the  townships  of  Tulpe- 
hocken and  Bern,  county  of  Berks,  15  miles  from  Reading, 
and  71  miles  northwest  by  west  from  Philadelphia.     The 


g6  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

minister  is  Rev.  George  Kleine.  He  was  born  at  Zwein- 
brecken  in  Germany,  October  9,  1715.  Came  to  America 
in  1738.  Was  baptized  in  1739  by  Mr.  Naas  of  Amwell 
in  the  Jersey.  Ordained  in  1757  by  Revs.  Michael  Pfautz 
and  Martin  Urner.  He  married  Dorothy  Repman  by 
whom  he  has  seven  children.  The  families  belonging  to 
them  are  seven,  whereof  11  persons  are  baptized  and  in 
fellowship.  This  is  their  present  state.  They  began  to 
be  a  church  about  the  year  1748  when  one  John  Stump 
and  sister,  Frederick  and  wife,  with  a  few  more,  had  the 
Lord's  supper  administered  to  them  by  the  Rev.  Michael 
Pfautz.  About  two  years  after,  their  present  minister 
settled  among  them.  The  society  was  reduced  to  its  now 
low  estate,  by  the  removal  of  families  to  other  parts." 

The  members  were  as  follows :  Rev.  George  Kleine, 
minister  and  wife,  Valentine  Lang,  Elizabeth  Reiler,  Eliza- 
beth Stump,  Sarah  Solenberger,  John  Stohner  and  wife, 
Mary  Stohner,  Susanna  Mackley,  Elizabeth  Brandel. 

Codorus. 

It  has  already  been  noticed  in  connection  with  the  his- 
tory of  different  congregations  in  Lancaster  county  and 
other  sections  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  that  there 
was  much  colonization  at  an  early  day.  This  migration 
and  colonization  was  first  to  the  southern  counties  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  then  into  various  counties  in  Maryland  and 
Virginia  and  even  south  as  far  as  North  Carolina.  It  was 
not  until  after  the  Revolutionary  War  that  western  emi- 
gration was  open  to  any  extent.  The  Brethren  at  an  early 
day  crossed  the  Susquehanna,  entered  what  is  now  York 
county,  and  occupied  hundreds  of  its  fertile  acres.  The 
strong  congregations  within  the  county  to-day  attest  their 
prosperity  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  years. 


Little  Conewago.  97 

The  following  account  is  given  of  early  settlements  that 
"became  permanent:  "  This  society  is  distinguished  as 
above  from  a  river  that  is  called  Codorus,  in  a  town- 
ship of  the  same  name  in  the  county  of  York,  11  miles 
from  the  town  of  York,  and  99  miles  west  by  south  from 
Philadelphia.  The  preacher  is  Mr.  Henry  Neff,  but  he  is 
not  ordained.  The  families  belonging  to  the  place  are 
about  twenty  whereof  thirty-five  are  baptized  and  members 
of  the  church.  This  is  their  present  state.  They  began 
to  be  a  church  about  the  year  1758  when  one  Rudy  Yunt, 
Peter  Brilharth,  John  Brilharth  and  others,  united  for  com- 
munion of  saints,  having  Rev.  Jacob  Tanner  to  their  as- 
sistance. This  Tanner  left  them  to  go  to  Monocasy ; 
since,  they  have  been  supplied  from  other  places.  Mr. 
Neff  will  soon  be  ordained." 

The  membership  in  1770  was  as  follows  :  Henry  Neff, 
exhorter,  and  wife,  Jacob  Tilman  and  wife  and  daughter, 
Jacob  Spitler  and  wife  and  two  daughters,  Peter  Brilharth 
and  wife,  Jacob  Neiswanger  and  wife,  Ann  Neiswanger, 
Catherine  Beightley,  Elizabeth  Leip,  George  Beary  and 
wife,  John  Harold  and  wife,  Rudy  Yundt  and  wife,  Wil- 
liam Spitler  and  wife,  Christian  Eby  and  wife,  Wendel 
Baker  and  wife,  Michael  Berkey  and  wife,  George  Ettor 
and  son,  Mathias  Sitler  and  wife,  Susanna  Weltner. 

Little  Conewago. 
"  This  society  is  so  distinguished  from  a  branch  of  the 
river  Conewago  near  to  which  the  people  made  their  set- 
tlements, in  the  township  of  Hanover  and  county  of  York, 
20  miles  from  the  town  of  York  and  107  miles  west  by 
south  from  Philadelphia.  The  preachers  are  Messrs. 
Jacob  Moyer  and  James  Henrick,  but  are  not  ordained. 
The  families  belonging  to  the  place  are  about  40,  whereof 


98  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

52  persons  are  baptized.  Their  beginning  was  in  1738 
when  one  Eldrick,  Dierdorff,  Bigler,  Gripe,  Studsman 
and  others  united  into  a  church,  having  Rev.  Daniel 
Leatherman  to  their  assistance.  He  left  them  and  went 
to  Monocasy ;  after  him  they  had  Rev.  Nicholas  Martin 
who  also  quitted  them  to  go  to  Conecocheague ;  of  both 
which  we  shall  speak  when  we  come  to  the  Baptists  in 
Maryland.  Their  successors  are  the  present  ministers, 
before  mentioned."  It  seems  the  volume  promised  on 
Maryland  was  never  issued ;  at  any  rate  I  have  no 
knowledge  of  such  volume  being  in  existence.1  Many 
members  went  to  the  Conecocheague  and  to  Monocasy, 
from  the  various  congregations  in  Pennsylvania ;  and 
among  them  were  prominent  and  efficient  ministers,  but 
we  know  little  of  their  work  in  the  early  days.  The  scores 
of  congregations  of  the  present  day,  however,  attest  the 
faithful  devotion  of  these  pioneers  and  the  success  of  the 
migration  to  the  "  Southland." 

The  membership  of  the  Little  Conewago  congregation 
in  1770  was  as  follows  :  Jacob  Moyer,  exhorter,  and  wife, 
James  Henrick,  exhorter,  and  wife,  Hans  Adam  Sneider 
and  wife,  Barbara  Sneider,  George  Wine  and  wife,  John 
Geiny,  Daniel  Woods  and  wife,  Henry  Geiny  and  wife, 
Joseph  Moyer  and  wife,  Nicholas  Housteter  and  wife, 
Christian  Housteter,  Rudy  Brown  and  wife,  Dobis  Brother 
and  wife,  Jacob  Miller  and  wife,  Michael  Koutz  and  wife, 
Mrs.  Powser,  Mrs.  Moyer,  Stephen  Peter,  wife  and 
daughter,  Maud  Powser,  George  Peter,  Henry  Tanner 
and  wife,  Michael  Tanner  and  wife,  John  Moyer  and  wife, 
Jacob  Souder   and  wife,  Henry  Hoeff  and  wife,  Hesther 


1 1  am  informed  by  J.  F.  Sachse  that  the  volume  on  Maryland  was  written, 
but  not  published,  and  in  MS.  form  it  burned  in  the  late  fire  of  the  Baptist 
Publication  Society. 


Conewago.  99 

Weise,  Christian  Etor,  John  Peter  Weaver,  Barbara  Bear, 
John  Swarts  and  wife,  Liss  Bearing,  Great  Hymen. 

Conewago. 

"This  society  also  takes  its  distinction  from  a  river  of 
the  above  name  near  to  which  the  people  reside,  in  the 
township  of  Reading,  county  of  York,  14  miles  from  the 
town  of  York  and  101  miles  west  from  Philadelphia. 
Their  preacher  is  Mr.  George  Brown,  who  is  not  ordained. 
The  families  are  about  45,  whereof  77  persons  are  baptized. 
Their  beginning,  as  a  society,  was  in  the  year  1741  when 
John  Neagly,  Adam  Sower,  Jacob  Sweigard,  Peter  Nei- 
per,  Joseph  Larzcho,  etc.,  did  unite  for  communion  of 
saints,  having  to  their  assistance  Rev.  George  Adam  Mar- 
tin, of  whom  more  hereafter.  Next  to  him  were  Rev. 
Daniel  Leatherman  and  Nicholas  Martin,  of  whom  we 
shall  speak  when  we  come  to  Maryland." 

The  following  were  the  members  in  1770:  George 
Brown,  exhorter,  and  wife,  Peter  Werds,  John  Heiner  and 
wife,  Peter  Fox  and  wife,  Anthony  Dierdorff  and  wife, 
John  Dierdorff  and  wife,  Nicholas  Moyer  and  wife,  Manass 
Bruch  and  wife,  Michael  Basserman  and  wife,  David 
Erhard  and  wife,  Ann  Mummard,  Daniel  Baker  and  wife, 
Abraham  Stauffer  and  wife,  Henry  Dierdorff  and  wife, 
John  Burckholter  and  wife,  Christian  Fray,  Andrew  Trim- 
mer and  wife,  Ustace  Reinfel  and  wife,  Samuel  Arnold, 
Peter  Dierdorff  and  wife,  Barnet  Achenbach  and  wife, 
Mary  Latzcho,  Catherine  Studyker,  John  Neagley  and 
wife,  Michael  Brissel  and  wife,  Velte  Brissel  and  wife, 
Mathias  Bouser  and  wife,  and  daughter,  Laurence  Bake- 
ner  and  wife,  Nicholas  Bakener,  Philip  Snell  and  wife, 
Nicholas  Bakener,  Jr.,  and  wife,  Adam  Sower  and  wife, 
and  two  daughters,  Adam  Dick  and  wife,  Marilis  Baker, 


IOO  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

Henry  Brissel  and  wife,  David  Brissel  and  wife,  Sarah 
Brissel,  Henry  Rudibush  and  wife,  George  Waggoner  and 
wife,  Jacob  Miller,  Mrs.  Martsh,  Rudolph  Brown,  George 
Reeson  and  wife. 

Bermudian. 

"This  society  also  is  distinguished  by  the  above  name 
of  a  little  river,  in  the  township  of  Warrington  and  county 
of  York,  15  miles  from  the  town  of  York  and  102  miles 
west  by  north  from  Philadelphia.  Most  of  these  people 
observe  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  for  sabbath,  and  are 
to  be  considered  as  the  offspring  of  Ephrata  church. 
Their  preacher  is  Mr.  Henry  Lowman,  who  is  not  ordained. 
The  families  are  about  40,  whereof  58  persons  are  bap- 
tized. They  began  to  be  a  church  in  1758  when  Philip 
Gebel,  Peter  Beissel,  Henry  Lowman  and  others  united 
for  communion  of  saints,  having  Rev.  Conrad  Beissel  to 
their  assistance.  Afterwards  Rev.  mess.  Peter  Miller  and 
George  Adam  Martin  and  others  officiated  among  them." 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  Bermudian  congregation  was 
in  the  first  place  under  the  control  of  Beissel  influence. 
After  the  death  of  Beissel,  and  Peter  Miller  ceased  to  visit 
the  place,  and  Martin  removed  to  Stony  Creek,  in  Bedford, 
the  congregation  passed  under  the  influence  of  the  Breth- 
ren and  has  so  remained  until  the  present  day. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  members  in  1770  :  Henry  Low- 
man,  exhorter,  and  wife,  Frederick  Reuter,  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, Daniel  Fahnstick  and  wife,  Peter  Henry,  wife  and 
mother,  Dietrick  Fahnstick  and  wife,  Paul  Traub  and  wife, 
Sebastian  Shalles  and  wife,  John  Cook,  wife  and  son, 
Peter  Bender  and  wife,  Melchoir  Webber  and  wife,  John 

Bence,  wife  and  daughter  and  four  sons, Frick,  John 

Lehn  and  wife,  John  Messerbach  and  wife,  John  Miller, 
wife  and  two  sons,  George  Reiss,  George  Neiss  and  wife, 


Stony  Creek.  101 

Benjamin  Gebel  and  wife,  Philip  Gebel,  Peter  Beussel, 
wife  and  son  and  daughter,  Philip  Beussel  and  wife,  Bel- 
zar  Smith  and  wife,  Adam  Weyley  and  wife,  Mrs.  Dorothy, 
Stauffer,  Elizabeth  Foltz. 

Stony  Creek. 

"  This  is  also  denominated  from  a  little  river  of  the  above 
name,  in  the  township  Bruederthal  (alias  Brotherstown)  in 
the  county  of  Bedford,  30  miles  from  Bedford  and  245 
miles  west  by  north  from  Philadelphia.  The  minister  is 
Rev.  George  Adam  Martin,  of  whom  mention  has  been 
made  before.  He  was  born  near  Landstuhl  in  Germany 
in  the  year  17 15.  Was  bred  a  Presbyterian.  Embraced 
the  principles  of  the  Baptists  in  1737,  and  was  ordained  by 
Peter  Baker  in  1739.  Afterwards  he  resided  at  Little 
Conewago,  where  some  misunderstanding  arose  between 
him  and  the  people  and  occasioned  him  to  remove  to  An- 
titum.  In  the  year  1762  he  adopted  the  sentiments  of  the 
seventh-day  Baptists,  and  preached  at  Bermudian.  From 
thence  he  went  to  Stony  Creek  this  year.  He  married  one 
of  the  Knippers  and  has  many  children.  The  families  be- 
longing to  the  place  are  12,  whereof  17  persons  are  bap- 
tized and  may  be  considered  as  the  constituents  of  the 
church,  viz.  :  Rev.  George  Adam  Martin  and  wife,  Henry 
Roth  and  wife  and  daughter,  Henry  Roth,  jun.,  and  wife, 
George  Newmoyer,  Philip  Oswald  and  wife  and  daughter, 
Abraham  Gebel  and  wife,  Philip  Kimmel  and  wife,  Mr. 
Widdebarger  and  wife.  This  church  also  is  the  offspring 
of  Ephrata  (for  the  most  part)  ;  the  seventh-day  sabbath  is 
kept." 

From  the  above  account  of  Martin,  it  will  be  noticed 
that  he  had  a  rather  checkered  experience  in  roving  about 
from  place  to  place.     He   is  said  to  have  been  a  man  of 


102  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

good  education.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  ability  and  at 
one  time  of  great  promise,  but  he  was  unsettled  in  his  con- 
viction that  his  work  amounted  to  little,  considering  his 
prominence  and  ability.  He  ended  his  days  at  Stony 
Creek,  and  this  congregation  soon  after  passed  to  the  con- 
trol of  the  Brethren,  and  there  are  to-day  many  congrega- 
tions in  Bedford  and  Somerset  counties. 

"Thus  we  see  that  there  are  in  this  province  fifteen 
churches  of  Tunker  baptists,  to  which  appertain  eight  or- 
dained ministers,  elders  or  bishops,  and  thirteen  exhorters 
or  probationers,  and  four  meeting  houses ;  the  reason  of 
their  having  no  more  places  of  worship  is,  that  they  choose 
rather  to  meet  from  house  to  house  in  imitation  of  the 
primitive  Christians.  We  see  also  that  their  families  are 
about  four  hundred  and  nineteen,  which  contain  about  two 
thousand  and  ninety-five  souls  allowing  five  to  the  family, 
whereof  seven  hundred  and  sixty-three  persons  are  bap- 
tized and  in  communion." 

It  must  be  noted  that  the  above  account  of  statistics  in- 
cludes the  Ephrata  congregation  with  one  hundred  and 
thirty-five  members.  It  may  be  stated  in  passing  that 
Beissel  is  already  dead  and  the  Monastic  community  has 
commenced  to  decline,  but  it  is  not  necessary  in  this  con- 
nection to  describe  Ephrata,  because  it  forms  no  part  of 
the  Brethren  congregations  of  1770.  In  compiling  this 
chapter  on  early  congregations,  I  have  largely  used  the 
materials  and  accounts  of  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards.  In 
many  important  facts,  we  are  almost  entirely  dependent 
upon  him,  and  I  desire  to  give  full  recognition  to  the  value 
of  his  writings  and  descriptions  of  the  early  congregations 
of  the  Brethren.  Because  of  the  frontier  conditions,  the 
records  of  the  scattered  congregations  are  singularly  in- 
complete.    I  have  here  presented  in  this  chapter  a  compre- 


Morgan  Edwards.  103 

hensive  view  of  the  church  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania, 
a  few  years  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary 
War.  I  cannot  in  this  connection  give  account  of  the 
church  in  New  Jersey  and  Maryland  and  farther  south. 
I  have  now  described  the  organization  and  establishment 
of  the  Brethren  church,  and  have  to  some  extent  traced 
its  history  for  half  a  century.  I  have  indicated,  somewhat, 
the  onward  steps  of  conquest  and  progress  across  the 
frontier  lines  in  the  days  of  Penn's  province.  I  hope  it 
may  be  of  interest  to  present  some  proofs  that  these  people 
contributed  elements  of  strength  that  were  laid  deep  in  the 
foundation  of  the  commonwealth.  In  the  opening  of  new 
territory,  after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  the 
Brethren  church  presented  her  full  share  of  her  sturdy 
sons  and  daughters  to  organize  the  new  industrial  life  and 
lay  the  foundations  of  the  great  commonwealths  of  the 
Middle  West ;  and  long  before  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois 
had  reached  the  development  of  Statehood  the  Brethren 
church  was  well  established  there,  and  to-day  80,000  of 
her  communicants  are  citizens  of  other  commonwealths 
than  Pennsylvania. 


■  -  ^fesiTili i  liT^If  *>  y 

r  Jr      f:-^?      ^            >^  rftS-i/. 

syls?^ 

CHAPTER  XL 


Industrial  Life. 


HAVE  been  considering  the  history  of  the  re- 
ligious activities  of  the  Brethren  church,  both 
as  to  their  origin  in  Germany  and  a  part  of 
their  onward  progress  in  America.  In  this 
consideration  I  have  confined  myself  to  the 
religious  life,  and  its  relation  to  the  religious  life  and  spirit- 
ual activity  in  the  growth  and  development  of  the  province 
into  a  great  State.  But  our  great  commonwealth  is  not  a 
religious  institution  ;  its  great  arteries  of  trade  and  com- 
merce   and    industry,  throbbing    and    pulsating  with  such 


tremendous 


energy. 


indicate   the   most  intense  industrial 


activity  everywhere  to  its  remotest  bounds.  As  citizens, 
what  has  been  their  relation  and  influence  in  the  social,, 
civil  and  material  interests  in  commonwealth  buildings? 
The  social  characteristics  have  ever  been  a  marked  fea- 
ture in  the  life  of  this  people.  In  their  religious  wor- 
ship from  house  to  house,  their  hospitality  was  ever  large 
enough  to  invite  the  entire  assembly.  Indeed,  hospitality 
is  part  of  their  religion,  and  they  feed  the  multitude  as  the 
Master   did   of  old,   and  hospitality  is  the  basis   of   their 

(104) 


~1       = 


Industrial  Life. 


105 


charity  to  the  poor,  and  the  needy.  They  have  been  a  posi- 
tive factor  in  laying  the  social  foundations  of  domestic  hap- 
piness. Mutual  helpfulness  and  hospitality  builds  a  great 
social  bulwark,  a  defence  against  poverty  and  wretched- 
ness. Their  simplicity  of  life  is  a  fundamental  principle 
in  their  faith,  and  was  at  once  one  of  the  most  effectual 
means  to  self-support ;  and  their  simplicity  and  habits  of 
economy  have  ever  been  a  sure  foundation  for  material 
advancement  and  a  serviceable  competency.     True  to  their 


WOIX-RAD   OR  ZWIRN-RAD. 


faith  and  doctrines,  the  Brethren  must  ever  be  kind  friends 
and  good  neighbors,  and  suffer  wrong  if  need  be  from 
their  neighbors  and  associates  that  they  may  gain  them  or 
retain  them  as  friends,  rather  than  redress  the  wrong  by 
process  of   law  and   so  make   them   their  enemies.     But 


106  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

aside  from  their  religious,  social  and  civil  characteristics, 
the  Brethren  led  an  intensely  active  industrial  life.  In 
the  rural  districts  they  were  first  of  all  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  and  a  majority  of  the  members  of  the 


FADEN-HASPEL- 


Brethren  church  of  to-day  are  still  largely  interested  in  the 
various  departments  of  agricultural  industries. 

In  the  township  of  Germantown  and  other  parts  of  Phila- 
delphia county  adjacent  to  the  settlement  of  Philadelphia, 
the  Brethren  were  early  engaged  in  a  variety  of  industries, 
and  helped  to  lay  the  foundations  of  many  important 
manufacturing  industries  for  which  Philadelphia  became 
noted  from  time  to  time.  It  is  interesting  to  look  over  the 
old  deeds  and  study  the  long  and  varied  list  of  occupations, 
indicating  the  industrial  activity.  Elder  Peter  Becker  was 
a  master  weaver,  and  early  contributed  his  share  toward 
making  Germantown  what  it  has  been  for  almost  two  cen- 
turies, a  center  for  weaving  and  knitting  industries.  With 
each  succeeding  generation,  the  mills  have  become  larger, 


Industrial  Life. 


107 


the  looms  and  machinery  more  perfect,  and  the  business 
more  complex  and  extensive.  Alexander  Mack,  Jr., 
followed  in  the  same  line  of  work,  besides  his  very  exten- 
sive work  in  the  church ;  and  for  his  day  and  times,  he 
had  a  large  manufacturing  establishment,  with  a  variety  of 


UPRIGHT  SPINNING  WHEEI,. 

products  ranging  from  knitting  stockings  to  weaving  blank- 
ets. The  Saurs  became  printers,  bookbinders  and  book 
publishers,  and  the  family  has  continued  in  the  publishing 
business  for  a  century  and  a  half.  The  Leiberts  were 
printers  and  publishers  for  several  generations,  and  pub- 


io8 


The  German  Baftist  Brethren, 


lished  some  of  the  earliest  hymn-books  the  Brethren  had. 
Some  of  the  Schreibers  were  bookbinders. 

Additional  reference  will  be  made  to  literary  and  pub- 
lishing   interests    in  the  sketch    on  Germantown,   in   the 


"ENGRAVED  COPPER  PIRATE  of  dirck  keyser." 

chapter  that  follows.  The  Keysers  were  tanners,  and  for 
several  generations  had  an  important  business.  There  were 
tailors   and  twiners    and    shoemakers    and    many    others. 


Industrial  Home  Life.  109 

Then  there  were  masons,  and  there  were  carpenters,  and 
there  were  plasterers,  and  other  like  occupations.  These 
suggestions  which  I  have  made  indicate  the  life  of  the 
Brethren  in  an  industrial  sense,  both  in  the  rural  districts 
and  also  in  and  around  Germantown  and  Philadelphia. 
To  be  sure  there  were  also  merchants  and  dealers  of  various 
kinds,  as  circumstances  demanded  the  development  of  such 
business.  But  before  leaving  this  industrial  life,  I  must 
say  that  it  was  not  always  exclusively  agriculture  in  the 
country  or  rural  district.  There  were  many  instances 
where  there  was  a  combination  of  country  and  town,  or  of 
farming  and  manufacturing,  a  combination  of  industries. 
I  can  best  illustrate  by  describing  an  actual  example  to 
indicate  this  type  of  industrial  life  and  activity. 

In  order  to  make  the  illustration  understood,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  give  some  detail  of  the  history  of  this  actual 
family.  It  is  necessary  to  refer  to  different  epochs,  in 
order  to  show  the  development  of  the  family  as  well  as 
the  industry,  or  I  should  rather  say  the  industries.  I  will 
say,  however,  that  the  family  when  complete,  consisted  of 
father  and  mother,  and  seven  sturdy  sons  and  six  daugh- 
ters ;  and  there  seemed  to  be  nothing  especially  unlucky 
about  the  number  thirteen  in  this  case.  Early  in  life,  the 
family  lived  on  a  small  place  and  life  was  begun  without 
means.  In  the  summer  time  the  father  tilled  the  few  acres, 
with  such  help  as  his  growing  children  could  give  him ; 
besides  he  assisted  his  neighbors  at  busy  times.  In  winter 
time  he  made  shoes  for  his  neighbors  and  friends,  going 
from  house  to  house,  and  remaining  at  each  home  long 
enough  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  family.  Meanwhile 
in  these  early  years,  spinning  and  weaving  was  also  com- 
menced. The  family  was  taught  that  self-help  was  the 
first  step  towards  self-support.     The  house   on  the  little 


no  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

homestead  was  not  very  spacious,  and  was  entirely  with- 
out plaster  upstairs.  The  older  children  were  girls,  and 
had  now  grown  well  towards  womanhood,  and  we  shall 
notice  how  they  found  a  way  to  plaster  the  second  story 
of  the  home.  The  father  had  given  the  land  for  a  new 
church  close  by,  and  when  the  church  was  completed  it 
was  found  that  there  was  considerable  mortar  left.  The 
young  ladies  proposed  that  if  the  father  would  secure  the 
mortar,  they  would  see  to  it  that  the  upstairs  would  get 
plastered.  He  secured  the  mortar  and  they  did  the  plas- 
tering. These  are  a  few  indications  of  the  earlier  family 
life.  The  scene  has  changed,  and  years  have  passed. 
The  father  has  years  ago  been  elected  a  minister  in  the 
Brethren  church,  and  has  devoted  much  time  to  study  and 
self-improvement  in  order  to  meet  the  demands  of  circum- 
stances. He  has  commenced  the  study  of  medicine,  under 
the  direction  of  two  able  physicians  in  the  nearby  county- 
seat.  He  has  also  commenced  to  settle  estates,  write 
agreements,  wills,  deeds,  and  other  legal  papers.  The 
family  has  moved  some  miles  away  from  their  former  home 
on  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  thirty  acres.  Here  there  was 
new  life  and  increased  activity.  Agriculture  was  carried  on 
on  a  much  larger  scale.  There  was  plenty  of  opportunity 
for  ambitious  robust  young  women  to  make  themselves 
useful,  as  well  as  to  make  some  money.  I  take  pleasure  in 
quoting  here  from  the  words  of  one  of  the  girls  who  took 
part  in  these  activities  :  "  The  place  was  the  scene  of  active 
busy  life.  The  girls  were  toiling  in  the  fields  day  after 
day  during  the  summer  months.  Corn  had  to  be  planted 
with  hoes ;  the  grain  was  cut  with  sickles.  The  women 
made  their  hand  and  received  as  much  per  day  as  the  men, 
— fifty  cents  during  harvest  for  cutting  grain  with  sickles, 
twenty-five  cents  for  corn-planting  and  hay-making,  except 


Industrial  Home  Life,  1 1 1 

the  men  received  fifty  cents  per  day  for  mowing  with  the 
scythe."  She  further  says:  "When  the  summer  work 
was  over,  the  girls  found  plenty  of  work  in  the  house  at 
the  spinning-wheels.  In  our  family,  three  spinning-wheels 
were  kept  running  from  about  four  weeks  before  Christ- 
mas until  about  the  middle  of  March.  These  were  kept 
going  from  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  nine  in  the 
evening."  It  may  be  noted  in  passing  that  five  or  six  girls 
could  keep  the  wheels  going  by  relieving  each  other  from 
time  to  time.  Here  is  an  argument  in  favor  of  the  wheel. 
These  girls  went  "  wheeling"  early,  and  what  robust  girls 
they  became  !  But  let  us  continue  the  study  of  the  indus- 
trial life.  She  continues  :  "  There  were  three  looms  kept 
running  also,  one  of  which  was  usually  run  by  one  of  the 
girls."  It  should  be  noted  that  the  father,  soon  after  com- 
ing to  the  large  farm,  made  ample  provision  for  the  large 
family  as  well  as  the  increasing  manufacturing  plant  and 
industrial  establishment.  He  built  a  large  addition  to  the 
farmhouse,  and  in  this  addition  there  was  a  room,  about 
40  feet  long  by  30  feet  wide,  which  was  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  looms  and  other  machinery.  By  removing 
the  looms,  this  room  became  an  assembly  room  with  ample 
accommodation  for  preaching  services  several  times  a  year. 
Her  story  grows  in  interest  as  she  proceeds.  She  says : 
"We  manufactured  flannels,  towels,  coverlets,  etc."  "In 
the  basement,  underneath  the  big  room,  mother  did  the 
coloring  of  the  yarns,  etc.  There  was  the  walled-in  kettle 
to  color  blue.  This  kettle  was  used  exclusively  to  color 
blue — while  other  kettles  were  used  for  various  other 
colors.  Everybody  made  his  own  yarn  in  those  days. 
Then  the  people  brought  it  to  the  shops  and  had  it  manu- 
factured into  goods." 

This   description  of  one  who  took  part   is  brief,  but  it 


112  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

gives  us  a  vivid  picture  of  the  busy  scenes  around  the 
family  hearthstone.  Such  energy  and  activity  and  en- 
terprise of  long  ago,  would  even  do  credit  to  a  present-day 
family  with  modern  opportunities  and  better  advantages. 
But  I  have  omitted  a  part  of  the  industry.  Nearby  was  a 
milling  plant,  run  by  water  power,  where  plaster  of  Paris 
was  ground,  as  well  as  flax-seed.  After  the  oil  was  pressed 
out  by  crude  machinery,  the  oil-meal  was  sold  to  the  neigh- 
bors for  feed  for  the  cattle.  This  milling  plant  was  later 
turned  into  a  carding  and  weaving  establishment  and,  later 
still,  into  a  grist  and  flour  mill.  All  in  all  this  family  was 
a  marvel  of  industrial  activity  ;  and  yet  it  is  a  true  example 
of  a  true  type,  of  which  there  were  many  constituents. 
The  Brethren  church  has  been  singularly  blessed  with 
many  such  intelligent,  energetic,  industrious  families.  The 
father,  who  was  the  head  and  soul  of  all  this  industry,  must 
have  been  a  busy  man ;  and  yet  this  was  the  least  impor- 
tant as  a  factor  in  his  busy  life.  As  a  physician,  he  had 
a  large  practice,  and  that  for  many  years.  He  was  emi- 
nently successful  as  a  practitioner.  In  drawing  up  legal 
papers  and  transacting  legal  business,  his  work  was  never 
called  into  question  by  any  lawyer  or  judge.  As  a  min- 
ister, he  traveled  far  and  wide,  and  preached  much.  He 
was  for  many  years  a  Bishop.  As  deacon  and  minister 
and  Bishop,  he  served  the  Brethren  church  for  forty-nine 
years.  I  hope  this  chapter,  though  brief  in  its  scope,  may 
to  some  extent  illustrate  the  industrial  life  of  the  early 
members  of  the  Brethren  church,  and  that  it  may  prove 
of  interest  to  its  readers. 


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BRETHREN  CHURCH  AND   PARSONAGE,    GERMANTOWN. 


CHAPTER   XII 


The  Mother  Church  at  Germantown. 


^jCSBfcfr  T  seems  to  me  eminently  proper  that  even  in 
8H  this  short  sketch  of  the  "  History  of  the 
Brethren  Church,"  there  should  be  one  chap- 
ter especially  devoted  to  the  Mother  Congre- 
gation at  Germantown.  The  name  of  Ger- 
mantown has  a  universal  charm  and  interest  to  all  those 
who  have  any  knowledge  of  or  taste  for  the  historical 
accounts  of  the  settlement  of  Pennsylvania.  Many  his- 
torians have  delighted  themselves,  in  the  true  spirit  of 
investigation,  to  make  extensive  research  in  order  to  con- 
firm the  important  facts  of  the  settlement  of  Germantown, 
and  present  the  many  interesting  phases  of  its  more  than 
two  hundred  years  of  history.  Others  have  contented 
themselves  with  garbling  from  the  general  legendary  ac- 
counts of  common  folk-lore,  or  have  joined  the  general 
squabble  of  arguing  on  controverted  points  of  minor  im- 
portance. Dr.  Oswald  Seidensticker,  who  died  a  few 
years  ago,  has  written  most  interestingly  on  his  profound 
investigations    of   early   German  life   in   America.       Mr. 

(113) 


ii4 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 


^  &  kj 


History  of  the  Brethren.  115 

Julius  F.  Sachse,  in  his  German  Pietists  and  other  his- 
toric studies,  has  written  in  a  most  interesting  manner  of  dif- 
ferent phases  of  Germantown  history.  By  far  the  most 
learned  and  exhaustive  treatise  on  the  Settlement  of 
Germantown  ever  written,  was  that  by  Hon.  Samuel  W. 
Pennypacker  as  published  in  the  Pennsylvania- German 
Society's  Annual  of  1898.  The  Judge  has  spent  years  in 
the  most  profound  research  of  all  historical  matter  of 
many  countries  and  languages,  that  would  throw  any  light 
on  the  beginning  of  German  emigration  and  the  settle- 
ment of  Germantown  in  1683.  As  the  history  of  this  old 
town  is  interesting,  so  also  is  the  history  of  the  mother 
congregation  that  has  been  in  existence  here  for  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-seven  years.  There  is  a  large  amount 
of  historical  matter  bearing  on  the  Germantown  church, 
directly  or  indirectly ;  but  it  has  become  much  scattered 
years  ago  by  careless  or  unfaithful  custodians,  and  much 
of  it  being  now  in  the  hands  of  private  individuals,  it  is 
difficult  to  collect  and  confirm  the  necessary  facts  for  a 
much-needed  reliable  account. 

There  is  still  a  wealth  of  good  material,  and  of  sufficient 
magnitude,  to  make  a  large  volume  of  history  ;  but  he  who 
will  write  the  "History  of  the  Brethren  Church  of  Ger- 
mantown," to  be  worthy  of  his  subject,  must  be  diligent 
and  energetic  in  his  researches,  and  must  be  withal  a 
thoughtful  and  painstaking  student.  There  is  considerable 
material  lying  on  the  surface,  as  is  always  the  case,  that 
passes  current  as  history,  and  yet  is  entirely  worthless  to 
the  reliable  historian  until  confirmed  by  careful  study  and 
research.  It  would  seem  that  in  this  respect  Germantown 
has  been  singularly  unfortunate  in  its  experience  of  being 
at  the  mercy  of  the  unscrupulous  historian. 

In  the  scope  of  this  chapter  I  cannot  devote   any  space 


n6  The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 

in  useless  arguments  in  trying  to  settle  controverted  points  ; 
but  I  shall  confine  myself  largely  to  the  presentation  of  the 
two  following  lines  of  thought : 

i .  I  shall  present  some  studies  in  original  research,  which 
may  correct  some  misstatements  of  would-be  historians  ; 
and, 

2.  I  shall  aim  to  record  some  important  facts  and  events, 
that  are  unrecorded  at  present,  or  else  too  briefly  recorded 
to  be  intelligent.  I  regret  very  much  that  I  cannot  devote 
a  liberal  space  to  biographies  of  the  prominent  men  that 
have  made  the  history  of  the  Germantown  church  what  it 
is — so  full  of  earnest  Christian  devotion  and  noble  deeds 
in  the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice. 

History  of  the  Present  Location  of  the 
Congregation. 

It  will  be  manifestly  of  interest  to  know  something  of 
the  history  of  the  ground  where  the  congregation  is  at 
present  located,  and  when  and  how  possession  was  secured. 
But  it  is  necessary  to  give  the  facts  in  regard  to  this  matter, 
for  the  additional  reason  that  there  have  been  some  false 
and  misleading  statements  made  regarding  the  history. 
These  statements  are  copied  again  and  again,  apparently 
without  any  attempt  being  made  to  know  the  facts,  when 


>x* 


K?Sf*»  fftv*n*f*t 


the  records  of  the  office  of  the  Recorder  of  Deeds  are  at 
all  times  accessible  to  all  who  care  to  investigate.  The 
usual  reference  is  made  that  Johannes  Pettikoffer  received 
the    ground    as    a    gift,   from    one    Peter    Schilbert ;     and 


Leasehold  of  the  Brethren.  117 

then  some  add  that  Schilbert  had  much  difficulty  in 
gaining  possession  of  the  land  again,  when  Pettikoffer 
went  to  Ephrata,  as  he  did  in  1739.  Now  all  this  is  sheer 
nonsense,  and  is  the  absolute  creation  of  somebody's  fancy. 
The  evidence  of  ownership  will  be  presented  in  each  case 
in  regular  order.  It  will  be  sufficient  for  the  present  study 
to  begin  with  the  ownership  of  Peter  Shoemaker.  I  have 
before  me  the  original  parchment  papers,1  consisting  of  the 
lease  for  one  year,  and  the  deed  issued  the  next  day,  which 
indicates  the  transfer  from  Shoemaker  to  Pettikoffer.  This 
lease  is  a  strip  of  real  parchment  thirty  and  a  half  inches 
long  and  four  and  a  half  inches  wide.  The  deed  is  twenty- 
three  and  a  half  inches  long  and  eleven  and  a  half  inches 
wide.  I  quote  from  the  deed  as  follows:  "THIS  IN- 
DENTURE made  the  fourth  day  of  August  In  the  year  of 
our  Lord  One-thousand  seven-hundred  and  thirty-one  BE- 
TWEEN Peter  Shoemaker  of  Germantown  in  the  county 
of  Philadelphia  in  the  province  of  Pensilvania,  Turner,  & 
Margret  his  wife  of  the  one  part  And  Johane  Pettenkoven 
[Johannes  Pettikoffer]  of  Germantown  aforesd  Stocking- 
knitter  of  the  other  part  WITNESSETH  that  thesd  Peter 
Shoemaker  &  Margret  his  wife  for  &  in  consideration  of 
the  sum  of  five  Pounds  &  five  shillings  lawful  money  of 
Pensilvania  to  them  in  hand  paid  by  thesd  Johanes  Petten- 
koven The  receipt  whereof  they  do  hereby  acknowledge 
&  thereof  do  fully  acquit  &  forever  discharge  thesd  Johanes 
Pettenkoven  his  heirs  &  assigns  by  these  presents  HAVE 
Granted  Bargained  Sold  Aliened  Enfeoffed  Released  & 
Confirmed  And  by  these  present  DO  Grant  Bargain  Sell 
Alien  Enfeoff  Release  &  Confirm  unto  thesd  Johanes  Pet- 
tenkoven (In  his  actual  possession  now  being  by  Vertue  of 
one  Indenture  of  Bargain  &  Sale  to  him  thereof  made  by 

1  The  property  of  the  Brethren  church. 


n8  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

them  thesd  Peter  Shoemaker  &  Margret  his  wife  for  one 
whole  year  bearing  Date  the  day  before  the  date  hereof  & 
by  force  of  the  Statute  made  for  transfering  uses  into  pos- 
session) And  to  his  heirs  &  assigns  A  CERTAIN  Piece 
parcel  of  Land  Situate  lying  &  being  in  the  Adjacent  side- 
land  of  thesd  Germantovvn  Beginning  at  a  stone  by  the 
North  East  Side  of  the  high  way  leading  from  thesd  Ger- 
mantovvn to  North  Wales  being  also  a  Corner  of  Johanes 
Mock's  land  thence  by  the  Same  &  other  land  North  East 
forty  perches  to  a  post  set  for  a  Corner  thence  North  West 
two  perches  Eight  foot  &  three  inches  to  a  post  set  for  a 
Corner  thence  by  thesd  Peter  Shoemaker  his  land  South 
West  forty  Perches  to  a  stone  set  for  a  Corner  by  thesd 
highway  &  by  thesd  Highway  South  fifteen  degrees  East 
two  perches  Eight  foot  &  five  inches  to  the  place  of  Be- 
gining  Containing  a  Half  acre  &  twenty  perches  of  land 
TOGETHER  with  all  &  singular  the  buildings  Woods 
Underwoods  Meadows  Ways  Waters  Watercouses  fishings 
fowlings  hawkings  huntings  Rights  Liberties  priveledges 
Improvements  Hereditaments  &  appurtenances  whatsoever 
thereunto  belonging  or  in  any  wise  appertaining  And  the 
Reversions  &  Remainders  Rents  Isues  &  profits  thereof 
TO  HAVE  AND  TO  HOLD  thesd  Piece  or  parcel  of 
Land  Hereditaments  &  premises  hereby  granted  &  Re- 
leased or  Mentioned  so  to  be  with  their  appurtenances  unto 
thesd  Johanes  Pettenkoven  his  heirs  and  assigns  TO  the 
only  proper  use  &  behoof  of  him  thesd  Johanes  Petten- 
koven his  heirs  &  assigns  forever." 

Then  follows  the  usual  condition  of  the  "  yearly  rent 
of  a  half-penny  "  ;  the  usual  "warrant";  and  after  that 
the  declaration  of  rightful  ownership,  to  show  the  right 
to  transfer.     I  have  quoted  about  one-third,  so  much  indi- 


Leasehold  of  the  Brethren,  119 

cates  the  usual  amount  of  specific  detail  and  legal  wordi- 
ness. 

Signed  by 

Witnessed  by 
Henry  Pastorius. 

On  the  reverse  side  of  the  deed,  is  the  receipt  in  which 
Shoemaker  acknowledges  having  received  of  Pettikoffer  the 
full  amount  of  five  pounds  and  five  shillings  as  the  purchase 
money  mentioned  within.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  claim  of 
this  deed,  that  Pettikoffer  paid  a  fair  price  for  his  half  acre, 
considering  that  it  was  nearly  half  a  mile  out  of  the  settle- 
ment of  Germantown  as  it  then  was,  and  that  altogether 
the  settlement  had  not  more  than  twenty  houses.  He  paid 
at  the  rate  of  ten  pounds,  or  fifty  dollars,  per  acre,  en- 
tirely unimproved.  These  original  papers  should  be  suf- 
ficient testimony  to  prove  that  Johannes  Pettikoffer  did, 
on  August  4,  1 73 1,  acquire  title  to  his  half  acre  from  Peter 
Shoemaker.  But  to  the  unscrupulous  historian,  it  does 
not  make  much  difference  whether  he  says  Peter  Schilbert 
or  Peter  Shoemaker. 

This  strip  of  ground  now  described  as  forty  rods  long 
and  two  rods  and  eight  feet  wide  is  the  north  half  of  the 
present  church  property,  or  the  part  on  which  the  church 
buildings  are  located.  The  year  preceding,  or  1730, 
Peter  Shoemaker  sold  to  Johannes  Mack,  located  immedi- 


120  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

ately  to  the  south  of  this,  a  strip  twenty-one  perches  long 
and  four  perches  wide,  also  a  half  acre,  at  two  pounds  and 
ten   shillings.     A  part  of  this   strip  now   forms  the  south 


-itA'. 


&  4Uk+XV*f  ATUtji 


half  of  the  church  property,  or  the  part  on  which  the  par- 
sonage is  located.  It  will  be  noticed  by  the  foregoing 
that  Mack  paid  just  half  as  much  for  his  half  acre,  as 
Pettikoffer  did  for  his  half. 

The  deed  is  signed  as  follows : 


er- 


Witnesses 


John  Gorgas, 

his 
Henery  X  Fridrick, 

mark 
Richard  Robb. 


On  the  twenty-second  day  of  August,  1739,  Johannes 
Pettikoffer  and  Ann  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  sold  the  half  acre, 


THE    GERMAN    BAPTIST    BRETHREN. 


J,    F.    SACHSE,    PHILA, 


ANCIENT  SEALS  ON  DEEDS 
AND  DOCUMENTS  OF  THE  QERHANTOWN  CHURCH. 


Leasehold  of  the  Brethren,  121 

together  with  the  house  he  had  built  upon  it,  to  Johannes 
Mack  and  Andreas  Bonney,  for  the  sum  of  sixty-five 
pounds,  each  of  the  two  holding  a  half  interest.  This 
house  was  built  in  1732,  and  because  of  its  importance  in 
later  years,  we  shall  give  some  description  of  its  interest- 
ing history  and  notice  it  hereafter  as  the  *  *  Pettikoff er 
House."  It  will  be  noticed,  that  whereas  he  had  paid  for 
the  ground  five  pounds  and  five  shillings,  he  now  receives 
on  his  sale  sixty-five  pounds,  thus  valuing  his  improve- 
ments at  fifty-nine  pounds  and  fifteen  shillings. 

It  thus  appears  that  there  is  no  documentary  evidence  to 
sustain  the  old  fable  that  Pettikoffer  received  the  lot  as  a 
gift  and  then  begged  the  money  to  build  the  house. 

Because  of  the  importance  of  several  statements,  I  quote 
at  some  length  from  the  following  deed  :  "  THIS  INDEN- 
TURE made  the  twentyeth  day  of  July  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  one-thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty-two  BE- 
TWEEN John  Mack  of  Germantown  and  the  county  of 
Philadelphia,  Stocking-weaver,  and  Margrett  his  wife  of 
the  one  part  and  Peter  Shilbert  of  Germantown  aforesaid 
yeoman  of  the  other  part  WHEREAS  an  Indenture  made 
the  twenty-second  day  of  August  one-thousand  seven-hun- 
dred thirty-nine  between  Johannes  Petenkoven  of  German- 
town  aforesaid  stocking-knitter  and  Ann  Elizabeth  his  wife 
of  the  one  part  and  the  said  John  Mack  and  one  Andreas 
Bonney  of  the  other  part  the  said  Johannes  Petenkoven 
and  Ann  Elizabeth  his  wife  for  the  consideration  therein 
mentioned  did  grant  release  and  confirm  unto  the  said  John 
Mack  and  Andreas  Bonney  A  CERTAIN  messuage  or 
tenement  and  piece  or  parcel  of  land  thereunto  belonging 
situate  in  the  adjacent  Side  Land  of  Germantown  aforesaid 
containing  by  Computation  half  an  Acre  and  twenty 
perches  of  Land  to  hold  the  one  full  equal  and  undivided 


122  The  German  Baftist  Brethren. 

moiety  thereof  unto  the  said  John  Mack  his  heirs  and 
Assigns  forever  and  to  hold  the  other  full  equal  and  un- 
divided moiety  thereof  unto  the  said  Andreas  Bonney  his 
heirs  and  assigns  forever  Under  the  yearly  Rent  of  one 
half  penny  lawful  money  of  Pennsylvania  payable  to  Peter 
Shoemaker  his  heirs  and  assigns  As  in  and  by  the  said 
recited  Indenture  Relation  thereunto  had  appears  AND 
WHEREAS  the  said  Andreas  Bonney  did  make  his  last 
will  and  Testament  in  writing  bearing  Date  on  or  about 
the  sixth  Day  of  October  one-thousand  seven-hundred 
forty-one  and  therein  and  thereby  devised  in  these  words 
or  to  the  Effect  following  viz.  :  *  And  I  leave  unto  the  said 
John  Mack  and  to  his  heirs  forever  the  house  and  lot 
whereon  I  now  dwell  (being  the  same  Messuage)  for  the 
consideration  of  twenty-nine  pounds  ten  shillings  money  of 
Pennsylvania  with  full  power  to  keep  or  sell  the  same  at 
his  pleasure  and  if  the  same  John  Mack  should  sell  the 
same  house  and  lot  to  any  person  or  persons  I  give  him 
full  power  and  authority  to  sign  seal  and  deliver  deed  or 
deeds  of  sale  to  the  purchaser  for  the  same  according  to  law ' 
as  in  and  by  the  same  last  will  and  Testament  duly  proved 
and  entered  in  the  Register  General's  Office  at  Philadel- 
phia Relation  thereuntohad  appears  NOW  THIS  IN- 
DENTURE WITNESSETH  that  the  said  John  Mack 
and  Margrett  his  wife  for  and  in  consideration  of  the  sum 

of  seventy-three  pounds  lawful  money  of  Pennsylvania  to 
them  in  hand  paid  by  the  said  Peter  Shilbert  HAVE 
granted  bargained  sold  released  and  confirmed  and  by 
these   presents   do  grant  bargain  sell  release  and  confirm 


Leasehold  of  the  Brethren,  123 

unto  the   said  Peter  Shilbert and  to  his 

heirs  and  Assigns,  etc." 

This  deed  also  declares  the  sale  of  a  small  triangle  that 
is  required  to  give  a  half  interest  in  the  well  of  water  on 
the  south  side.  The  deed  is  signed  by  John  Mack  and  his 
wife,  and  Richard  Robb  is  the  witness  to  the  transaction. 

There  are  several  points  of  interest  in  regard  to  valua- 
tion and  occupancy  that  might  be  noted  in  this  connection. 
While  Pettikoffer  had  paid  five  pounds  and  five  shillings 
for  the  half  acre  lot  without  improvements,  he  sold  the 
same  lot  with  the  house  he  had  built  for  the  sum  of  sixty- 
five  pounds  in  1739.  It  will  be  noticed  that  Bonney  willed 
his  half  to  Mack  in  1741,  twenty-nine  pounds  and  ten 
shillings,  or  at  the  rate  of  fifty-nine  pounds  for  the  entire 
property,  which  was  just  fifteen  shillings  less  than  the  dif- 
ference between  Pettikoffer's  buying  and  selling  price,  or 
the  value  of  the  house  alone.  It  will  be  noticed  further 
that  Mack  sold  to  Shilbert  for  the  consideration  of  seventy- 
three  pounds,  which  was  a  considerable  advance,  but  which 
included  a  half  interest  in  the  well.  This  deed  is  inter- 
esting in  the  next  place  because  it  tells  us  who  occupied 
the  house  after  Pettikoffer  left  it  in  1739.  It  seems  that 
when  Pettikoffer  sold  and  moved  to  Ephrata,  Bonney  took 
possession  of  the  newly  acquired  premises  in  which  he  had 
half  interest,  or  at  any  rate  we  find  him  in  possession 
October  6,  1741,  when  he  made  his  will,  for  he  says, 
"  the  house  and  lot  whereon  I  now  dwell  (being  the  same 
messuage)."  Thus,  instead  of  Shilbert  being  the  origi- 
nal owner  and  giving  this  lot  to  Pettikoffer,  as  some  ac- 
counts say,  the  ownership,  as  we  have  clearly  proved, 
runs  as  follows  :  Peter  Shoemaker,  Johannes  Pettikoffer, 
John  Mack  and  Andrew  Bonney,  John  Mack,  Peter  Shil- 
bert;  and  all  these  changes  in  the  eleven  years  from  1731 
to  1742. 


124  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

It  seems  to  have  been  the  intention  of  Peter  Shilbert  to 
present  this  half  acre  to  the  Brethren  congregation,  but  he 
died  with  the  property  legally  in  his  possession.  After 
some  years  of  delay,  this  was  finally  accomplished,  as 
will  be  seen  by  the  quotation  that  follows.  This  deed  was 
issued  on  the  eleventh  day  of  August,  1760.  After  trac- 
ing the  ownership  from  Shoemaker  to  Shilbert,  and  giv- 
ing a  description  of  the  half  acre,  and  also  of  two  small 
triangles,  the  deed  continues  with  the  following  recital : 
"  AND  WHEREAS  The  said  Peter  Shilbert  dying  (in  ef- 
fect) Intestate  Possessed  of  the  said  Messuage  and  three 
pieces  of  Land  &  premises  (He  having  Made  only  a  Nun- 
cupative Will)  The  Right  of  the  inheritance  of  his  Said 
Possessions  Depending  Legally  unto  Johanna  Hoech  the 
wife  of  Bastian  Hoech  which  Johanna  being  the  only  Issue 
and  Heir  of  Abraham  Shilbert  who  was  the  Brother  and 
Heir  at  Law  of  the  Said  Peter  Shilbert  AND  the  said  Bas- 
tian Hoech  and  Johanna  his  wife  in  and  by  a  Certain  Deed 
Roll  or  writing  under  their  Hands  and  Seals  bearing  date 
the  Twenty  sixth  day  of  August  Ao  :  Di :  1746  did  for  the 
consideration  therein  Mentioned  (among  other  lands  of 
which  the  said  Peter  Shilbert  died  Possessed  of)  grant  and 
Convey  the  said  Messuage  and  three  pieces  of  Land  (by 
the  name  of  the  little  place  and  House  near  Germantown) 
unto  the  said  Theobold  Endt  and  Hennery  Slingloff  in  ffee 
NOW  THIS  INDENTURE  WITNESSETH  That  the 
said  Theobald  Endt  and  Henery  Slingloff  For  and  in  Con- 
sideration of  the  sum  of  Ten  Pound  Lawfull  money  of 
Pennsylvania  to  them  in  hand  paid  by  the  said  Alexan- 
der Mack  Christopher  Sower  Peter  Libert  and  George 
Schriber  the  Receipt  whereof  is  hereby  Acknowledged 
HAVE  granted  bargained  Sol  Released  and  Confirmed 
and  by  these  presents  DO  grant  bargain  sell  Release  and 


Leasehold  of  the  Brethren.  125 

Confirm  unto  the  said  Alexander  Mack  Christopher  Sower 
Peter  Libert  and  George  Schriber  and  to  their  Heirs  and 
assigns  the  said  Messuage  and  above  described  three  peices 
or  parcels  of  Land  thereunto  belonging,  etc."  The  deed 
closes  with  usual  provision  for  paying  the  yearly  half  penny 
rent  and  the  proper  Warrant,  and  Theobald  Endt  and 
Henry  Slingloff  dispose  of  the  property  which  they  had 
held  for  the  term  of  fourteen  years. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  see  now  what  was  the  intention,  when 
it  is  noted  that  the  four  men  to  whom  the  property  was 
deeded,  were  four  of  the  principal  men  of  the  Brethren 
congregation.  These  four  men  were  simply  four  trustees, 
to  hold  the  property  "  in  trust  "  ;  and  on  the  day  following, 
they  published  a  Declaration  of  Trust.  In  the  opening 
part  of  this  Declaration,  Alexander  Mack,  Christopher 
Sower,  Peter  Libert  and  George  Schriber,  formally  ac- 
knowledge having  received  the  property  from  Theobald 
Endt  and  Henry  Slingloff ;  and  then  the  important  docu- 
ment continues  as  follows:  "NOW  KNOW  YE  that 
the  said  Alexander  Mack,  Christopher  Sower,  Peter  Lib- 
ert and  George  Schriber  do  hereby  acknowledge  and  de- 
clare that  the  said  Messuage  or  Tenement  and  three  peices 
of  Land  or  ground  was  so  as  aforesaid  granted  unto  them 
in  Trust  nevertheless  by  the  direction  and  at  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  persons  who  are  members  of  the  Religious 
Society  or  Community  of  the  people  called  Dutch  (Ger- 
man) Baptists  and  belonging  to  the  Meeting  of  that  Peo- 
ple in  or  near  Germantown  aforsd  To  the  intent  only  that 
they  the  said  Alexander  Mack,  Christopher  Sower,  Peter 
Libert  and  George  Schriber  and  such  or  so  many  of  them 
as  Shall  be  and  continue  in  Unity  and  Religious  Fellow- 
ship with  the  Said  People  and  remain  members  of  said 
Meeting  whereunto  they  do  now  belong  Shall  stand  and 


126  The  Gcr?na?i  Baptist  Brethren. 

be  Seized  of  the  said  Messuage  or  Tenement  three  peices 
or  parcels  of  Land  or  ground  &  premises  So  Conveyed  to 
them  as  before  recited  To  the  use  and  intents  hereinafter 
Mentioned  and  declared  and  under  the  Conditions  &  Re- 
strictions hereinafter  limited  &  Restricted  and  to  no  other 
use  or  purpose  whatsoever,  That  is  to  say,  One  Room  in 
the  said  Messuage  to  be  made  use  of  for  a  Meeting  place 
of  the  said  People  living  at  or  near  Germantovvn  aforsaid 
and  for  such  other  as  the  said  Community  may  think  proper 
to  admit  thereto  The  which  Room  May  be  improved  or 
enlarged  for  the  better  convenience  of  the  said  Meeting  at 
the  discretion  of  the  said  Community  in  such  Manner  as 
they  may  think  Meet  AND  one  Room  and  kitchen  of  the 
sade  Messuage  to  be  made  use  of  for  a  dwelling  place  for 
some  Widow  woman  of  the  Said  Society  or  Community 
to  live  in  Rent  free  and  that  the  said  Society  or  Commu- 
nity Shall  &  do  keep  the  said  Messuage  or  Tenement 
&  peices  or  parcels  of  Land  or  ground  in  repair  from 
time  to  time  Towards  the  Charge  of  which  they  are 
to  have  the  use  Rents  Issues  &  Profits  which  may  ac- 
crue or  arise  yearly  from  the  remaining  part  of  the  prem- 
ises PROVIDED  always  nevertheless  that  if  it  should 
so  happen  that  a  Regular  Society  &  Community  of  the 
said  People  Should  cease  to  be  kept  up  at  &  near  German- 
town  and  that  they  should  decline  ;holding  up  their  Said 
Meeting  That  then  and  in  such  case  it  Shall  &  may  be 
Lawfull  for  the  said  Alexander  Mack  Christopher  Sower 
Peter  Libert  and  George  Schriber  or  the  Survivors  or  Sur- 
vivor of  them  in  the  said  Trust  To  sell  and  Dispose  of  the 
said  Messuage  or  Tenement  three  pieces  or  parcels  of 
Land  or  ground  &  premises  and  to  make  &  execute  a  ffee 
Simple  Deed  of  Conveyance  for  the  Same  to  the  purchaser 
And  the  money  arising  by  Such  Sale  to  Distribute  (chiefly 


Leasehold  of  the  Brethren.  127 

or  mostly)  to  &  amongst  the  Poor  belonging  to  the  said 
Society  in  or  near  Germantown  aforsd  (not  exempting  the 
poor  of  other  Societies  from  Some  part  thereof)  and  to  be  as- 
sisted in  Making  the  said  Distribution  by  &  with  the  ad- 
vice &  consent  of  the  Elders  &  other  Discreet  persons  of 
the  Same  Society  holding  Community  and  keeping  a  regu- 
lar Meeting  at  the  next  or  nearest  place  to  Germantown 
aforsaid  To  which  Meeting  the  accounts  of  such  Distribu- 
tion Shall  be  made  &  Submitted  PROVIDED  also  that 
neither  the  said  Alexander  Mack  Christopher  Sower  Peter 
Libert  &  George  Schriber  nor  any  of  them  Nor  any  person 
or  persons  Succeeding  them  in  this  Trust  Who  Shall  be 
declared  by  the  Members  of  the  Said  Society  for  the  time 
being  to  be  our  of  unity  or  Church  fellowship  with  them 
Shall  be  capable  to  execute  this  Trust  or  stand  seized 
thereof  to  the  uses  aforsaid  Nor  have  any  Right  or  Interest 
in  the  premises  or  any  part  thereof  whilest  they  or  any  of 
them  Shall  So  remain  BUT  that  in  all  such  cases  as  also 
when  any  of  them  or  others  Succeeding  them  in  the  Trust 
aforsaid  Shall  happen  to  Depart  this  life  Then  it  Shall  & 
may  be  Lawfull  to  and  for  the  said  Members  as  often  as 
occasion  Shall  require  to  make  choice  of  others  to  Mannage 
the  said  Trust  and  to  execute  the  Same  instead  of  those  or 
Such  as  Shall  so  fall  away  and  be  out  of  unity  with  the 
said  People  called  Dutch  (German)  Baptists  or  depart  this 
life,  etc."  The  Declaration  further  contains  the  provision 
that  the  said  Trustees  shall  assign  their  Trust  to  other 
Trustees  whenever  asked  to  do  so  by  the  congregation ; 
and  also  contains  the  acknowledgment  that  they  act  simply 
as  Trustees  and  in  no  other  capacity  whatsoever. 

The  Pettikoffer  house  is  getting  interesting  in  its  history. 
By  the  above  quotation  it  is  clearly  set  forth  that  one  room 
of  the  Pettikoffer  house  was   duly  set  apart  and  devoted 


128 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 


Old  Folks'  Home,  129 

by  the  congregation  of  the  Brethren  for  religious  worship  ; 
and  we  know  from  many  proofs  that  they  so  continued  to 
worship  in  the  said  house  until  July  8,  1770,  when  their 
new  meeting-house  was  dedicated,  or  for  a  period  of  ten 
years.  It  is  altogether  likely,  however,  that  during  the 
period  of  holding  services  from  house  to  house,  meetings 
were  frequently  held  in  the  Pettikoffer  house,  as  well  as 
others  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  For  we  do  know  that 
prior  to  the  year  1760,  a  number  of  members  had  settled 
in  the  neighborhood. 

The  Old  Folks'  Home. 
While  the  said  Declaration  of  Trust  tells  us  of  the  reg- 
ular and  permanent  meeting-place,  it  also  tells  in  a  very 
interesting  manner  how  one  room  and  the  kitchen  were  set 
apart  for  some  widow  to  dwell  "  rent  free  "  ;  thus  showing 
how  early  the  Brethren  thought  of  making  special  provis- 
ion and  providing  a  home  for  the  "  widows  and  fatherless." 
I  know  of  no  instance  where  any  other  denomination  made 
a  similar  public  provision  for  its  widowed  poor,  at  so  early 
a  date.  The  history  of  this  Home  is  interesting.  While 
it  is  probably  true  that  in  a  few  years  the  congregation  so 
increased  that  perhaps  the  entire  house  was  needed  for 
purposes  of  worship,  we  do  know  that  when  the  new  stone 
meeting-house  was  dedicated  in  1770,  the  Pettikoffer  house 
was  set  apart  anew  for  the  comfort  of  the  widows,  and  it 
remained  such  a  home  until  1861,  or  a  period  of  101  years 
from  the  time  it  was  first  set  apart.  There  are  many  peo- 
ple living  to-day  who  remember  the  place  well  as  the 
"  Widows'  Home."  I  am  indebted  to  Charles  M.  Benson, 
of  Germantown,  and  also  Rachel  Douglass  Wise,  of 
Philadelphia,  for  facts  that  enable  me  to  describe  the  Pet- 
tikoffer house  as  it  appeared  fifty  years  ago.     The  main 


130  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

part  of  the  house  was  about  twenty  feet  long  by  sixteen 
feet  wide,  built  of  logs,  with  frame  gables,  and  shingle 
roof.  The  house  fronted  south,  with  gables  east  and 
west.  The  spaces  between  the  logs  were  chinked  and  plas- 
tered, and  the  entire  house  whitewashed.  It  had  a  good 
cellar,  with  an  outside  trapdoor,  which  was  located  be- 
tween the  pavement  and  the  outside  door  leading  into  the 
east  room.  There  were  four  windows  and  one  outside 
door.     There  were  two  windows  in  the  west  gable  towards 


y£tyS  4**J*»~> 


y**/h* 


& 


the  street,  one  upstairs  and  one  downstairs.  Then  there 
were  two  additional  windows  in  the  west  room,  one  on  the 
north  and  one  on  the  south  side.  There  were  two  rooms 
upstairs  and  two  rooms  downstairs.  At  the  east  end  of  the 
east  room,  there  was  a  large  fireplace  which  was  in  con- 
stant use  from  1852  until  the  time  the  house  was  taken 
down  in  December,  1861,  so  my  informer  tells  me.  The 
meeting-room  was  the  west  one,  well  lighted  with  three 
windows.  The  ceilings  were  of  good  height.  The  house 
was  still  in  good  condition  in  1861,  when  it  was  torn 
down,  after  such  an  interesting  history  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty  years. 

Immediately  to  the  rear  of  the  above-described  house 
there  stood  many  years  ago  a  good-sized  frame  building, 
whose  history  I  have  not  been  able  to  unravel.  Many 
suggestions  have  been  made  of  its  probable  history,  but  I 
have  been  unable  to  confirm  anything  so  that  I  can  safely 
regard  it  as  history.  I  hope  the  future  may  yet  reveal  the 
purpose  of  this  ancient  structure. 


Brethren *s  Sanctuary \  131 

The  Old  Church. 

N  this  same  half  acre  that  we  have  been  con- 
sidering, or  the  northern  half  of  the  church 
grounds,  are  located  the  church  buildings, 
consisting  of  the  old,  which  was  built,  as  stated 
before,  in  the  year  1770,  and  the  new,  built  in 
1896-1897.  It  is  interesting  to  note  the  completeness  of 
this  old  building,  considering  the  time  at  which  it  was 
built.  Not  only  was  it  complete  in  its  appointment,  but  it 
was  substantially  built,  as  may  be  noted  from  the  fact  that 
it  is  still  standing  and  from  the  additional  fact  that  it  is 
still  doing  good  service  and  in  most  excellent  state  of 
preservation.  It  is  thirty  feet  square,  built  of  stone ;  the 
walls  are  eighteen  inches  thick.  There  was  a  large  well- 
appointed  basement,  under  the  entire  building,  of  good 
height,  where  there  was  a  large  fireplace  for  cooking  and 
making  the  necessary  preparation  for  lovefeast  occasions. 
In  the  corner,  near  the  fireplace,  is  a  large  flat  stone  built 
into  the  wall.  This  stone  was  hollowed  out  trough-like,  and 
on  it  the  waste  water  was  poured  to  drain  out  of  the  build- 
ing. The  floor  in  the  audience-room  is  characteristic  and 
interesting.  It  is  yellow  pine,  very  hard  and  full  of  pitch. 
The  boards  were  carefully  selected,  almost  every  board 
has  a  heart  in  it,  consequently  there  are  no  sap  boards,  and 
there  has  been  no  decay  in  all  these  years.  But  there  is 
another  reason  why  the  floor  boards  are  neither  decayed 
nor  worm-eaten.  The  floor  rests  on  a  bed  of  mortar,  which 
is  supported  by  a  layer  of  split  oak  lath.  The  distinguish- 
ing mark  of  the  hand-made  nails  (long  narrow  heads), 
is  visible  in  every  board.  About  twenty-five  years  ago, 
the  audience-room  was  remodeled,  the  windows  were 
arched,   the    ceiling  was  raised    and    new  seats    put   in. 


132  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

Formerly  the  ceiling  was  about  eight  feet  high,  plastered 
and  whitewashed  ;  and  a  heavy  wooden  girder,  supported 
by  two  posts,  was  visible.  There  was  a  large  loft,  very 
roomy  and  well-lighted,  supplied  by  four  windows,  two  in 
either  gable.  It  seems  to  have  been  built  and  arranged 
for  some  special  purpose,  perhaps  largely  unknown  at  this 
time.  There  was  an  outside  entrance  to  this  loft,  making 
access  easy,  and  without  disturbing  in  any  way,  or  enter- 
ing, the  audience-room.  Many  years  ago,  this  front  gable 
was  rough-cast,  covering  up  all  traces  of  this  loft-door  and 
windows,  and  all  knowledge  of  them  seems  to  have  been 
lost  until  three  years  ago  when  we  restored  this  front. 
Upon  removing  the  rough-cast,  there  were  the  distinct  out- 
lines of  the  door  and  windows  visible.  At  this  time  I  made 
the  following  measurements :  The  door  was  four  feet, 
three  inches  wide  and  six  feet,  six  inches  high,  a  very  large 
door,  if  it  was  a  single  door.  The  windows  were  three 
feet,  two  inches  wide  and  four  feet,  six  inches  high.  This 
loft  seems  to  have  been  extensively  used  for  storing  the  un- 
bound sheets  of  publications  that  required  months  to  run 
through  the  press.  It  is  said  that  Christopher  Sower  so 
occupied  the  place,  with  his  third  edition  of  the  Bible,  in 
1777,  and  that  the  unbound  sheets  were  confiscated  by  the 
British  soldiers,  and  used  for  gun-wads  and  for  bedding  their 
cavalry  horses.  The  old  meeting-house  is  still  in  constant 
use — being  open  on  Sunday,  for  the  Sunday-school  ser- 
vices, and  on  Thursday  evenings,  for  the  prayer-meeting. 
The  council  and  business  meetings  are  also  held  here. 

The  south  half  of  the  church  grounds  needs  to  have  a 
brief  account  in  this  connection.  The  church  came  into 
possession  of  this  portion  many  years  after  acquiring  title 
to  the  north  half.  It  was  noted  in  the  early  part  of  this 
chapter  that  this   part   was   purchased  from   Peter  Shoe- 


Johannes  Mack.  133 

maker  in  1730  by  Johannes  Mack.  On  the  twenty-ninth 
day  of  August,  1751,  Johannes  Mack  and  Margaretha, 
his  wife,  sold  the  same  to  Christopher  Sower,  and  we  are 
informed  that  the  place  consisted  of  "  two  Messuages  or 
Tenements  and  seventy-eight  perches  of  ground."  On 
the  twenty- fourth   day  of   September,   1753,   Christopher 


oiAj&iouA 


Sower  and  Catharina,  his  wife,  sold  the  same  to  Philip 
Weaver,  for  the  sum  of  sixty  pounds.  On  the  eighteenth 
day  of  March,  1796,  John  Weaver,  Philip  Weaver  and 
Susanna  Keyser,  three  children  and  heirs  of  the  above 
Philip  Weaver,  deeded  the  property  to  Abraham  Keyser, 
for  the  sum  of  four  hundred  pounds ;  and  on  the  following 
day,  the  said  Abraham  Keyser  deeded  the  same,  for  the 
same  amount,  to  Philip  Weaver,  one  of  the  sons  and  heirs 


^j^  ^ 


IPrt^^+t" 


of  the  first  above  mentioned  Philip  Weaver.  On  the 
fourth  day  of  April,  1804,  Philip  Weaver  and  his  wife, 
Ann,  sold  the  same  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Brethren  con- 
gregation, for  the  consideration  of  four  hundred  and  thirty 
pounds.  On  it  was  located  the  present  parsonage,  which 
the  first  Philip  Weaver  erected  as  his  dwelling  in  1756. 


J34 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 


The  Weaver  Log-House. 

IMMEDIATELY  to  the  rear  of  the  parsonage 
there  stood  for  many  years  an  ancient-looking 
house,  which  was  frequently  known  as  the 
"  Weaver  Log-house,"  and  which  he  had  oc- 
cupied before  building  his  spacious  stone 
house.  But  by  whom  it  was  built  and  when,  is  now  an  open 
question,  for  the  deed  of  175 1  informs  us  there  were  then  two 
houses.  This  log-house  was  an  interesting  old  house,  at 
any  rate,  and  stood  until  January,  187 1.  It  was  built  of 
logs,  as  intimated,  and  was  covered  with  tile.  The  roof 
was  high  and  very  steep,  and  presented  a  very  striking 
appearance.  The  building  was  about  eighteen  or  twenty 
feet  square,  and  had  but  one  room  upstairs,  and  one  room 
down.  There  were  no  windows  upstairs.  There  were 
two  windows  down,  and  there  was  one  door.  In  the  west 
part  of  the  room  there  was  a  large  bakeoven,  with  the 
opening  from  the  outside.  There  were  a  large  chimney 
and  fireplace.  In  its  latter  years,  this  house  did  service 
only  as  a  summer  kitchen,  but  it  was  still  in  fair  condition 
when  it  was  removed,  after  serving  at  least  five  genera- 
tions of  the  Weaver  family. 


A  Select  School. 
HE  parsonage  just  referred  to  is  now  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-four  years  old,  and  has  been 
the  property  of  the  congregation  for  ninety- 
six  years  ;  and  yet,  strange  to  say,  it  was 
never  occupied  by  the  pastor  or  minister,  until 
the  present  pastor  occupied  it  seven  years  ago.  Its  history 
as  a  parsonage  is  therefore  short  and  not  very  important,  and 
yet  memorable  to  a  few  people.     Your  humble  servant  will 


§  »   o 


c     ^ 

Co 


A  Select  School.  135 

look  back  with  interest,  and  remember  the  cozy  old  stone 
house  as  the  place  where  he  wrote  this  sketch  and  where 
he  prepared  more  than  seven  hundred  and  fifty  sermons. 
The  family  can  well  look  back  to  the  place  where  seven 
enjoyable  years  were  spent.  To  two  people  the  place  will 
be  doubly  interesting — two  little  people,  five  and  two  years 
old,  Alexander  Mack  and  Esther  Eva.  Some  day  they 
may  be  much  interested  in  the  fact  that  they  were  born  in 
the  old  parsonage  at  Germantown.  But  the  place  has 
history  and  plenty  of  it ;  and  many  an  aged  person  sitting 
in  silent  meditation  in  the  closing  years  of  their  lives,  and 
reviewing  the  years  of  their  childhood,  will  remember  with 
pleasure  the  school  days  spent  in  this  old  house.  This 
school  opened  more  than  seventy-five  years  ago,  continued 
for  many  years,  and  was  presided  over  by  a  sweet-faced 
woman,  a  member  of  the  congregation.  The  schoolroom 
was  about  fifteen  by  twenty-five  feet,  and  had  at  times 
seventy  scholars.  The  teacher  was  Susanna  Douglass, 
and  in  addition  to  the  regular  school  curriculum  she  taught 
sewing,  knitting  and  fancy  work.  Her  daughter,  Rachel 
Douglass  Wise,  is  still  living  in  Philadelphia,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-eight  years.  Upon  a  certain  occasion,  the  mother 
went  to  visit  her  sisters  in  Virginia,  going  by  boat,  as  the 
only  means  of  travel,  and  remained  six  weeks.  During 
this  time  the  daughter,  Rachel,  then  fifteen  years  of  age, 
taught  the  school.  She  used  to  rise  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning  to  set  the  copy-books.  Many,  in  their  latter  days, 
are  delighted  to  see  their  schoolroom  once  more.  This 
schoolroom  is  now  occupied  by  the  pastor's  study  and  the 
dining-room. 

These  are  a  few  short  chapters  of  the  unwritten  history 
of  the  Germantown  church,  and  there  are  others  to  be 
written. 


136  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

The  Cemetery. 
HE  cemetery  is  a  very  interesting  place.  So 
far  as  grave-stones  indicate,  the  first  burial 
took  place  in  1797.  Nearly  all  the  old  fami- 
lies of  Germantown  are  represented,  and  in 
some  cases  many  of  the  same  family  and  sev- 
eral generations.  In  a  few  cases  five  and  six  generations 
are  buried.  Among  the  ministers  buried  here  are  the  fol- 
lowing :  Alexander  Mack,  Sr.,  Alexander  Mack,  Jr.,  Peter 
Leibert,  Peter  Keyser,  Christian  Van  Laushett,  John  Van 
Laushett,  Jacob  Spanogle,  Christian  Custer,  John  W.  Price, 
Amos  Cowell  and  others. 

Among  other  noted  persons  buried  here  may  be  named 
Miss  Harriet  Livermore,  in  an  unmarked  grave  ;  the  woman 
who  prayed  in  our  National  Congress  in  1832,  the  "  Evan- 
gelist," "The  Guest"  of  Whittier's  Snow  Bound,  the 
"Pilgrim  Wanderer"  in  the  Holy  Land  and  in  Egypt, 
the  "  Watcher"  on  Mt.  Sinai  in  the  immediate  expectation 
of  the  coming  of  Christ.  After  she  had  wandered  all  over 
the  world,  her  tired  body  was  laid  to  rest  in  this  beautiful 
God's  acre,  in  the  midst  of  these  historic  surroundings. 

The  cemetery  is  still  much  used  as  a  burial  place,  and 
is  an  ideal  little  spot.  Everything  pertaining  to  it  receives 
constant  attention  and  care,  and  everything  is  in  good  con- 
dition. 

Alexander  Mack,  Jr. 
HAVE  briefly  traced  some  outlines  of  the 
history  of  the  Brethren  congregation  at  Ger- 
mantown, and  have  spoken  of  a  few  of  the 
now  historic  surroundings.  It  is  perhaps  about 
as  much  as  should  be  said  in  a  sketch  of  this 
character.    When  a  history  of  this  congregation  is  written  in 


C   2 

CO     > 

—  o 


5m 

*  o 
z 

a  > 

O  m 
t-  X 
o  > 

Z 
>    O 

z  m 

O  3) 
Z    S 

m  > 

*  <2 


»   "D 


m 
O 


List  of  Baftisms.  137 

full,  much  space  needs  to  be  devoted  to  Alexander  Mack, 
Jr.,  and  I  think  I  cannot  close  this  part  without  a  few  state- 

ments.  It  will  be  remembered  that  in  the  Koch  excitement 
and  exodus  in  1739,  he  went  to  Ephrata.  In  the  course  of 
a  few  years,  however,  he  returned  to  Germantown  and  was 
destined  to  become  his  father's  eminent  successor.  He 
was  probably  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1748  ;  and  in  1749 
he  was  ordained  Bishop  of  the  Germantown  congregation. 
It  is  strange  that  the  work  of  this  man  is  so  little  known. 
He  was  a  man  of  great  energy  and  far-reaching  influence. 
He  was  the  most  eminent  man,  beyond  doubt,  that  the 
Brethren  church  has  ever  had  in  America,  considering  the 
times  and  circumstances  of  his  eventful  life.  He  was  an 
able  man  as  a  preacher  and  counselor  in  church  work.  He 
was  well  known  and  greatly  beloved  all  over  the  church. 
He  was  a  gifted  hymn-writer,  and  wrote  much  in  defense 
of  the  church  doctrines.  For  more  than  half  a  century,  he 
served  the  church  ably  and  faithfully.  His  work  in  organ- 
izing congregations  and  ordaining  elders  was  very  exten- 
sive. His  life  was  a  great  blessing  to  many  and  was  full 
of  good  deeds.  He  died  at  the  ripe  age  of  91  years,  1  month 
and  20  days. 

Some  of  the  baptisms  performed  by  Alexander  Mack, 
Jr.,  at  Germantown,  after  the  year  1766  : 

1766. — May  15,  Margretta  Hartzbach. 
"        October  3,  Nathaniel  Schrieber. 

u        October     17,      Henry     Schlingluft,     Jr.,      Catharine 
Schlingluft,  Dorothea  Fox. 


138  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

1767. — July  12,  Charles  Lang. 

44        August  7,  Anna  B.  Van  Lashett  and  Elizabeth  Schling- 

luff. 
44        August  16,  Jacob  Bauman    and    Maria    Barbara,  his 

wife. 
11        October  2,  Conrad  Good,  William  Spira  and  Maria 
Spira. 
1768. — March  27,  Christina  Schlungluff,  Jr. 

"        September  25,  Hannah  Stamm. 
1769. — May  14,  Sarah  Baker. 

44        July  27>  Christopher  Saur,  Jr. 

44        September    3,    Michael    Keyser,     Sarah^JV^ack    and 

.      Susanna  Baker. 
44      /October  5,  Peter  Keyser  and  Hannah,  his  wife,  Henry 
Sharpnack  and  Sarah,  his  wife,  John  Schlingluff, 
Conrad  Stamm,  Maria  Fendt,  Elizabeth  Raab. 
1770. — September  2,  John  Weber,  William  Leibert,  Dirock 
Keyser  and  Rachel,  his  wife. 
44        September  30,  Julius  Roberly  and  Appolonia,  his  wife. 
1 77 1. — May  19,  Thomas  Langstroth  and  Catherine,  his  wife, 
Hannah  Mack,  Hannah  Stier. 
44        September  8,  John  Kaempfer. 

44        November  10,  Rudolph  Harley  and  Barbara,  his  wife, 

John  Harley  and  Margaretta,  his  wife,  Ulrick  Stouf- 

fer  and  Hannah,  his  wife. 

1772. — April    19,    Michael    Corbit,    Garehart    Clemens   and 

Gertrude,  his  wife,  Jacob  Landis  and  Maria,  his  wife. 

1773. — January  4,  John  Prisz. 

44        January  20,  Phillipina  Vernon. 
1774. — March  27,  Edmund  Langstroth. 

44  May  12,  Edward  Bright  and  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  Eliza- 
beth Painter,  Ruth  Silence. 
"  July  3,  Cornelius  Neisz,  William  Heisler,  David 
Meredith,  Jacob  Raab,  George  Duke,  John  Leibert, 
Anna  Leibert,  Susanna  Hinckle,  Hannah  Knorr, 
Lydia  Keyser,  Catherine  Bauman. 


List  of  Baptisms.  139 

1774. — October  16,  William  Prisz  and  Susanna  Knorr. 
Here  occurs  a  break  in  the  records  for  the  period  of 
nine  years. 

1783. — October    20,   Susanna  Weaver,  John  Weaver's  wife, 

and  Catherine  Keyser,  Michael  Keyser's  wife. 
1785. — March  6,  Emanuel  Fox  and  his  wife,  Margarett,  Jacob 

Zigler  and  Lydia  Kulp.     I  very  much  regret  that 

I  cannot  present  a  complete  list  of  his  baptisms, 

but  it  has  been  impossible  to  confirm  a  part  of  the 

list.     There  is  no  complete  record  extant. 
The  following  is  a   partial   list  of  baptisms  by  Christopher 
Sower : 

1748. — November  3,  Elizabeth  Weiss,  Catherine  Buchmarin, 

Susanna  Miller. 
1749. — April  2,  Jacob  Ganz. 
1755. — May  18,  Andrew  Menichinger. 
1758. — March  26,  Uly  Rinder  and  wife. 
1 78 1. — July    15,    George    Becker   and    his   wife,    Catherine, 

Nancy  Becker,  their  daughter,  Catherine,  daughter 

of  Frederick  Stamm. 
1783. — November  6,  Adam  Weber. 

1784. — June  10,  Martin  Urner  and  wife,  Barbara  Baugh. 
When  Christopher  was  dead  and  Alexander  Mack  was  past 
seventy-two   years   of  age,    the    second   Martin   Urner  baptized 
some  at  Germantown,  and  the  following  is  perhaps  a  complete 
Jist: 

1784. — August  15,  Derick   Keyser  and   his   wife,  Elizabeth, 

and  Susanna  Weaver,  Philip  Weaver's  daughter. 
1785. — September   25,    Nicholas   Oliver,  Benjamin  Lehman, 

and  Peter  Keyser,  Jr. 
1786. — September   14,    Henry  Rinker,   William  Keyser  and 

his  wife,  Barbara,   Elizabeth    Lehman  and    Mary 

Heisler. 
1788. — September  4,   Charles    Hubbs  and  his  wife,   Mary, 

Catherine   Clemens  and    Hannah,  the  daughter  of 

Derick  Keyser. 


140 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 
Mack  Family.1 


1st  Gen. 

Date  of  Birth. 

Place. 

Date  of  Marriage. 

Date  of  Death 

Remarks. 

Alexander 

1679    Germany 

1700 

Germany 

1735 

<( 

«< 

1720 

Anna  Margaretha 
Klingen. 

2d  Gen. 

John  Valentine 

«( 

(?)  173" 

America 

1755 

• 

<c 

( ? )  i73i 

11 

8-II-1758 

Maria   Hildebrand 
Mack. 

John 

<t 

11 

Sneider. 

Alexander 

1-28-1712 

«« 

1-  1-1749 

«« 

3-20-1803 

Ordained,  1749. 
Edwards. 

9-25-x725 

1-  1-1749 

5-  6-1811 

Elizabeth  Nice  ^ 
Mack. 

3d  Gen. 

William 

10-31-1741 

11 

10-13-1772 
10-13-1772 

(< 

Blacksmith. 
Agnes  Gantz 
Mack. 

Anna  Maria 

10-29-1752 

M 

6-  6-1769 
6-  6-1769 

<( 

4-  5-1770 

Death  in  child- 
birth. 
Husband. 

3  Sarah  Marg. 

12-23-1753 

(( 

2-  2-1776 

11 

9-  8-1799 

Baptized,  9-3-1769. 

2-I7-I753 

2-  2-1776 

1-23-1822 

Husband,  Jacob 
Zigler. 

4  Hannah 

9-10-1755 

II 

8-27-1775 

<« 

4-  6-1816 

Baptized,  5-19- 

1771. 
Husband,  Adam 

1-20-1756 

8-27-1775 

8-30-1815 

Weaver^ 

Alexander 

1-18-1758 

it 

11 

3-26-1760 

Ljdia 

1-  4-1761 

it 

1779 
1779 

7-I5-I788 

<t 

12-14-1785 

Baptized,  3-6-1785. 
Husband,  Dielman 

Kulp. 
Husband,  John 

Lentz,  Baker. 

7  Elizabeth 

5-  2-1763 

(( 

" 

5-29-1770 

Died  of  smallpox. 

8  Anna  Marg. 

7-31-1765 

(I 

8-22-1784 

ii 

5  -29-1838 

Baptized,  3-6-1785. 

1764 

8-22-1784 

3"  2-1833 

Baptized,  3-6-1785. 
Husband,  Eman- 
uel Fox. 

1  Three  generations  of  Alexander  Mack's  family,  the  third  being  Alexander  Mack,  Jr.'s,  children. 


^2*-uJL 


APPENDIX. 


HE  brief  sketch  of  the  history  of  the  Brethren 
church  having  been  presented,  it  will  be  of 
interest  to  present  a  few  subjects  in  the  form 
of  an  Appendix,  such  as  the  main  points  in 
church  doctrine,  government,  statistics,  edu- 
cational interests,  missionary  fields,  etc. 

Part  A.  Faith  and  Practice. 
Elder  D.  L.  Miller,  editor  of  The  Gospel  Messenger  > 
the  principal  church  paper,  has  compiled  a  twelve-page 
pamphlet  on  "The  Brethren,"  descriptive  of  "Faith  and 
Practice,"  etc.  This  pamphlet  is  issued  as  tract  No.  42, 
by  the  "  General  Missionary  and  Tract  Committee,"  Elgin, 
111.     I  make  the  following  abstracts  : 

Introduction. 
"  The  Brethren  are  a  large  body  of  Christians,  whose  faith  and 
practice  are  not  generally  known  outside  of  their  immediate 
localities.  The  errors  in  the  books  that  attempt  to  describe  the 
Brethren,  as  they  call  themselves,  have  been  both  numerous  and 
lamentable.  Starting  with  Buck's  '  Theological  Works  '  and 
ending  with  the  ponderous  encyclopedias  and  standard  diction- 

(14  ) 


142  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

aries,  error  after  error  is  found,  and  the  faith  and  practice  of  the 
church  have  been  greatly  misrepresented.  The  statements  that 
the  Brethren  are  celibates,  that  they  discourage  marriage,  that 
they  do  not  marry  outside  of  their  own  fraternity,  that  they  keep 
the  seventh  day  sabbath,  that  they  live  in  communities,  and  other 
similar  errors,  set  forth  in  the  books,  always  have  been  without 
foundation.  These  misstatements,  to  be  found  in  nearly  all  the 
standard  works,  show  a  lack  of  care,  in  obtaining  correct  infor- 
mation, that  is  far  from  commendable. 

u  Faith  and  Practice. 
n  The  Brethren  hold  the  Bible  to  be  the  inspired  and  infallible 
Word  of  God,  and  accept  the  New  Testament  as  their  rule  of 
faith  and  practice.  In  the  subtleties  of  speculative  theology  the 
church  takes  but  little  interest.  She  is  chiefly  concerned  in  giv- 
ing willing  and  cheerful  obedience  to  the  plain,  simple  com- 
mandments of  Christ  Jesus.  The  Brethren  are,  in  every  respect, 
evangelical  in  their  faith.  They  believe  in  the  Trinity,  in  the 
divinity  of  Christ  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  future  rewards 
and  punishments.  Faith,  repentance  and  baptism  are  held  to  be 
conditions  of  salvation.  These  three  constitute  true  evangelical 
conversion,  and  upon  them  rests  the  promise  of  the  forgiveness 
of  sins  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"  Baptism. 
11  Baptism  is  administered  by  trine  immersion.  After  being 
instructed  in  the  principles  of  the  Gospel,  and  having  faithfully 
promised  to  observe  the  same,  the  applicant  is  taken  down  into 
the  water,  and,  kneeling,  reaffirms  his  faith  in  Christ  and  prom- 
ises to  live  faithful  until  death.  He  is  then  baptized  for  the  re- 
mission of  his  sins,  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  administrator  immersing  the  appli- 
cant face  forward  at  the  mention  of  each  name  in  the  Trinity. 
The  administrator  then  lays  his  hands  on  the  head  of  the  kneel- 
ing candidate  and  offers  a  brief  prayer  on  behalf  of  the  one 
baptized,  and  he  rises  to  be  greeted  as  a  brother,  with  the  right 


Trine  Immersion,  143 

hand  of  fellowship  and  the  kiss  of  love,  to  walk  in  newness  of 
life. 

"The  Brethren  follow  closely  the  practice  of  the  apostolic 
church,  and  admit  none  into  fellowship  until  they  have  been 
baptized.  In  the  language  of  Peter  to  the  Pentecostians  they 
tell  all  believers  to  c  repent,  and  be  baptized  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  re- 
ceive the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'  Acts  2  :  38.  Holding  that 
baptism  is  only  for  believers,  and  those  who  have  repented,  they 
oppose  infant  baptism.  Infants  can  neither  believe  nor  repent, 
hence  they  are  not  proper  subjects  for  baptism.  Christ  having 
sufficiently  atoned  for  them,  all  children  who  die  before  coming 
to  a  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  will  be  saved. 

11  In  defense  of  trine  immersion  they  hold  that  the  great  com- 
mission, given  by  Christ,  and  recorded  in  Matt.  28:19,  Revised 
Version,  4  Baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  teaches  a  three-fold  action.  As 
there  are  three  persons  in  the  Trinity,  each  one  of  the  Divine 
Three  is  honored  in  this  form  of  baptism.  As  the  three  Persons 
constitute  one  God,  and  a  belief  in  each  of  these  one  faith,  so 
the  three  dippings  constitute  one  baptism.  In  favor  of  their 
practice  they  have  the  testimony  of  all  Greek  scholars,  who  have 
examined  the  subject,  the  practice  of  the  entire  Greek  church, 
and  reliable  history.  These  all  show  that  trine  immersion  was 
the  almost  universal  mode  of  baptism  for  centuries  succeed- 
ing the  apostolic  age.  Changes  were  gradually  made  from  trine 
immersion  to  sprinkling,  but  the  church  that  made  the  change, 
the  Roman  Catholic,  still  retains  the  three  actions  in  applying 
water  to  the  candidate.  Nearly  all  the  Protestant  churches  that 
practice  sprinkling  retain  the  same  form,  thus  testifying  to  the 
truth  that  the  commission  teaches  a  three-fold  action  in  baptism. 
Their  baptism  is  accepted  as  valid  by  all  religious  denominations 
of  any  note  whatever. 


144  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

"  LOVEFEAST    AND    COMMUNION. 

11  The  Agape,  or  Feast  of  Love. 
"  The  evening  before  his  death,  our  Blessed  Master,  after  hav- 
ing washed  his  disciples'  feet,  ate  a  supper  with  them  and  insti- 
tuted, in  connection  with  this  sacred  meal,  the  communion — the 
bread  and  cup.  The  apostles,  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  followed 
the  example  of  their  Great  Leader  and  introduced  the  agape  into 
the  apostolic  church.  This  feast  of  love,  of  which  all  the  Chris- 
tians partook,  was  a  full  meal,  was  eaten  in  the  evening,  and  is 
called  by  the  apostle  Paul  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  communion 
of  the  bread  and  wine  was  given  in  connection  with  this  meal. 
The  lovefeast  was  kept  up  in  the  primitive  church  for  four  cen- 
turies, but  as  the  church  grew  in  numbers  and  wealth,  it  lost  its 
first  love  and  spirit  of  fraternity,  and  the  feasts  of  love  were  dis- 
continued. The  Brethren,  in  their  reformatory  movement  in 
1708  restored  these  lovefeasts,  and  in  this  particular  still  follow 
the  example  of  Christ  and  the  practice  of  the  apostles  and  primi- 
tive Christians,  and  keep  the  feast  of  love.  A  full  meal  is  pre- 
pared and  placed  upon  tables,  used  for  that  purpose,  in  the 
church,  and  all  the  members  partake  of  the  supper. 

" Feet-washing. 
11  Before  eating  supper,  the  religious  rite  of  washing  feet  is 
observed.  Their  authority  for  this  practice  is  found  in  John  13  ; 
1— 1 7.  *  He  riseth  from  supper,  and  laid  aside  his  garments; 
and  took  a  towel,  and  girded  himself.  After  that  he  poureth 
water  into  a  basin,  and  began  to  wash  the  disciples'  feet,  and 
to  wipe  them  with  the  towel  wherewith  he  was  girded.  *  *  * 
If  I  then,  your  Lord  and  Master,  have  washed  your  feet;  ye  also 
ought  to  wash  one  another's  feet.  For  I  have  given  you  an  ex- 
ample, that  ye  should  do  as  I  have  done  to  you.'  The  Brethren 
do  not  stand  alone  in  the  practice  of  this  rite.  The  Greek 
church,  with  ninety  million  communicants,  has  adhered  to  feet- 
washing,  as  she  claims,  ever  since  the  days  of  the  apostles,  and 
the  patriarch  of  Jerusalem  engages  in  feet-washing  to-day  near 
the  spot  where  Jesus  himself  gave  the  example  and  the  precept. 


The  Communion.  145 

*'  In  their  practice  of  the  ordinance  of  feet-washing  at  love- 
feast  occasions  the  Brethren  follow  very  closely  the  example  of 
the  Master.  Water  is  poured  into  a  basin,  a  brother  girds  him- 
self with  a  towel  and  washes  and  wipes  his  brother's  bared  feet, 
and  in  turn  has  his  feet  washed.  The  rite  is  in  this  way  performed 
over  the  entire  congregation.  The  sisters  wash  the  sisters'  feet 
and  all  the  proprieties  of  the  sexes  are  most  rigidly  observed.  By 
this  ordinance  the  Gospel  principle  of  humility  is  set  forth  and 
by  its  observance  all  are  placed  on  a  common  level.  The 
rich  and  poor  stand  alike  together  in  the  great  Brotherhood  es- 
tablished by  Christ. 

iiThe   Supper. 

" After  observing  the  ceremony  of  feet- washing,  a  blessing  is 
asked  upon  the  simple  meal  spread  on  the  tables,  and  it  is  eaten 
with  solemnity.  It  is  held  to  be  typical  of  the  great  supper  at 
the  end  of  the  world,  when  Christ  Himself  will  be  master  of 
ceremonies.  The  important  lesson  is  taught  that  we  are  all 
children  of  one  common  family,  members  of  one  common 
brotherhood,  having  one  common  purpose  in  view,  and  the  bond 
of  fraternity  and  loving  fellowship  is  shown  by  eating  together 
this  sacred  meal  as  did  Christ  and  His  disciples  and  as  did  the 
primitive  Christians.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  meal  thanks  are 
returned  and  then,  as  the  members  are  seated  around  the  table,  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship  and  the  kiss  of  charity  are  given.  The 
salutation  of  the  kiss  of  love  in  worship  and  in  customary  greet- 
ings, as  enjoined  by  the  apostles,  is  never  observed  between  the 
sexes. 

iiThe    Communion. 

"  The  Communion  is  then  administered.  This  consists  in 
partaking  of  the  bread  and  wine  in  commemoration  of  the  suf- 
ferings and  death  of  our  adorable  Redeemer.  In  the  Lord's 
Supper  we  are  pointed  forward  to  the  evening  of  the  world,  to 
the  great  reunion  of  the  saints.  In  the  communion  we  are 
pointed  back  to  the  cross.  The  emblems  are  passed  from  hand 
to  hand  by  the  brethren,  while  the  officiating  minister  breaks  the 


146  The  German  Baptist  Brethren, 

bread  and  passes  the  cup  to  the  sisters.  After  this  a  season  of 
earnest  devotion  follows,  and  then  a  hymn  is  sung  and  the  services 
are  closed  for  the  evening.  Love-feasts  are  held  in  each  congre- 
gation usually  once  or  twice  each  year,  but  as  the  members  visit 
from  congregation  to  congregation,  during  the  love-feast  season, 
they  engage  many  times  in  this  service  during  the  year. 

"Other  Principles  of  Faith  and  Practice.     Non-confor- 
mity Principles. 

81 Plainness, 

88  The  Brethren  claim  to  be,  and  are  in  many  respects,  a 
peculiar  people.  Plain  dressing  is  taught  and  required,  and  a 
general  uniformity  is  observed,  but  this  is  regarded  as  a  means 
to  an  end.  They  believe  that  the  New  Testament  teaches 
plainness  in  attire,  1  Tim.  2:9,  10;  1  Pet.  3:  3,  and  that  by  a 
general  uniformity  of  habit,  marked  enough  to  distinguish  the 
church  from  the  world,  Gospel  plainness  may  be  made  a  living 
fact  instead  of  a  dead  letter,  as  it  has  become  in  many  other 
churches  whose  discipline  strongly  insists  on  plain  dressing. 

11  Non-litigant. 
88  The  Brethren  are  not  allowed  to  go  to  law  with  one  of  their 
own  number,  nor  with  others,  without  first  asking  the  counsel  of 
the  church,  and  it  is  rare  indeed  for  a  brother  to  be  engaged  in  a 
lawsuit.  Among  themselves  differences  are  adjusted  personally, 
or  by  the  church,  in  accordance  with  the  Christian  law  of  tres- 
pass given  by  the  Master.     Matt.  18  :  15-20. 

''''Non-resisting  and  Non-swearing. 
"The  Fraternity  is  strictly  non-resistant,  as  well  as  non-liti- 
gant. It  is  held  that  Christ  is  4the  Prince  of  Peace,'  that  His 
Word  is  8  The  Gospel  of  Peace,'  hence  His  servants  can  not 
go  to  war  and  fight.  *  For  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are 
not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of 
strongholds.'  2  Cor.  10:4.  They  take  no  active  part  in  pol- 
itics,   and    'swear    not    at    all.'      If    called    upon    to    testify   in 


The  Anointing.  147 

the  courts,  they  simply  affirm,  without  raising  the  hand  or  kiss- 
ing the  Bible.  In  this  they  literally  obey  the  command  of  Christ 
who  said,  '  Swear  not  at  all.  But  let  your  communication  be, 
Yea,  yea ;  Nay,  nay :  for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these  cometh 
of  evil.'     Matt.  5:34-37. 

u  Secretism. 
u  No  brother  may  become  a  member  of  any  secret  or  oath- 
bound  society,  the  Brethren  holding  that  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  fully  sufficient  for  all  the  wants  of  humanity.  All  the 
converts  who  are  identified  with  such  orders  are  required  to 
sever  their  connection  with  them  before  they  can  be  adopted 
into  the  family  of  the  Brotherhood. 

"  Marriage. 
11  The  Brethren  hold  that  the  marriage  bond  can  only  be  dis- 
solved by  death.  Divorce  and  remarriage  are  practically  un- 
known among  the  membership.  It  is  held  by  some  that  those 
who  have  been  divorced  for  a  violation  of  the  sanctity  of  the 
marriage  vow  and  remarried  before  conversion,  might  be  received 
into  church  fellowship  while  their  former  companions  were  liv- 
ing, but  the  rule  has  been  against  even  this  much  leniency,  and 
they  hold,  with  Paul,  that  the  woman  which  hath  a  husband  is 
bound  by  law  to  her  husband  so  long  as  he  liveth :  but  if  the 
husband  be  dead,  she  is  loosed  from  the  law  of  her  husband. 
Rom.  7 :  2. 

"  The  Anointing. 
"They,  in  compliance  with  the  instruction  of  the  apostle 
James,  5  :  14,  15,  anoint  the  sick  with  oil.  This  rite  is  admin- 
istered only  by  the  request  of  the  sick.  The  elders  are  called 
and  the  sick  member  is  raised  to  a  sitting  posture.  After  the  offi- 
ciating elder  applies  the  oil  to  the  head  three  times,  two  elders 
then  lay  their  hands  on  the  head  of  the  sick,  and  offer  a  prayer 
for  the  anointed  one." 


148  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

Temperance. 
The  positions  of  the  Brethren  church  on  the  subject  of 
liquor  and  tobacco — on  her  temperance  principles — are  in- 
dicated by  the  following  brief,  but  clear,  statement : 

"  On  the  question  of  temperance  and  prohibition  the  Brethren 
have,  for  more  than  a  century,  given  no  uncertain  testimony. 
They  are  one  of  the  oldest  temperance  organizations  in  the 
United  States.  More  than  one  hundred  years  ago  a  decision  was 
passed,  forbidding  any  of  the  members  to  engage  in  the  manu- 
facture or  sale  of  intoxicants.  They  forbid  the  use  of  all  alco- 
holic or  malt  liquors  as  a  beverage,  in  public  or  private.  They 
request  the  members  not  even  to  have  dealings  with  saloon 
keepers.  They  discourage  the  use  of  tobacco,  and  the  rule  is 
that  no  brother  can  be  installed  in  office  who  uses  tobacco  without 
making  a  promise  to  quit  it.  All  applicants  for  baptism,  who 
are  addicted  to  the  tobacco  habit,  are  advised  to  abstain  from  its 
use  before  they  are  received  into  church  fellowship." 

Part  B.     Church  Government. 
On  the  subject  of   Church    Organization    and    Church 
Government,  I  quote  the  following  from  Eld.  D.  L.  Miller, 
on  "  Church  Government." 

''^Church  Government. 
"  The  Brethren  have  a  republican  form  of  church  government. 
Each  congregation  is  independent  in  the  management  of  its  local 
affairs,  such  as  the  election  of  deacons,  ministers,  elders,  or 
bishops,  and  in  matters  of  local  church  discipline ;  but  is  subject 
to  the  entire  Brotherhood  through  District  and  General  Confer- 
ences. A  number  of  congregations,  usually  in  the  same  State, 
conveniently  located,  are  formed  into  a  District,  and  these  hold 
annual  conferences,  to  which  each  congregation  sends  two  dele- 
gates, either  lay-members,  deacons,  or  ministers.  Questions, 
local  to  the  District,  are  discussed  and  settled  by  the  District 
Conference,    but  those  of  a  general    character  are  sent    to  the 


Church  Government,  149 

General  Conference,  or  Annual  Meeting,  as  it  is  commonly 
called.  This  is  also  a  delegated  body.  The  Districts  each  elect 
one  delegate,  who  must  be  an  elder,  to  serve  on  the  Standing 
Committee,  and  each  congregation,  with  a  membership  of  two 
hundred  or  less,  may  elect  one  delegate.  Congregations  with  a 
larger  membership  may  send  two  delegates.  The  delegates 
may  be  selected  from  the  laity  or  the  church  officials ;  the 
Standing  Committee  and  delegates  form  the  official  body  of  the 
Conference.  Any  member  present  may  take  part  in  the  discus- 
sion of  questions,  but  the  voting  is  confined  to  the  delegates,  two- 
thirds  of  the  votes  cast  being  required  for  a  decision. 

11  The  General  Conference  is  also  a  great  annual  reunion  for 
the  Brethren.  They  come  together  from  all  parts  of  the 
Brotherhood,  and  it  is  not  unusual  for  thousands  of  them  to  as- 
semble at  the  place  of  meeting. 

"  The  decisions  of  the  Conference  are  to  be  adhered  to  by  all 
the  members  of  the  church.  An  examination  of  the  book  of 
Minutes  of  the  Annual  Meeting  shows  that  questions  referring 
to  church  doctrine  rarely  come  before  the  Conference,  proving 
that  there  has  been  a  firm  adherence  to  the  principles  of  the 
Gospel,  as  originally  adopted  by  the  church.  But  the  applica- 
tion of  those  principles,  in  special  cases,  and  the  best  means  to 
carry  them  into  effect,  have  been  subjects  of  frequent  discussion 
and  decision  by  the  Conference.  The  tendency  of  the  Confer- 
ence and  the  annual  reunions  is  to  unify  the  Brethren  in  all  their 
church  work,  and  it  is  a  fact  that  there  is  rarely  found  so  large 
a  body  of  religious  people  so  closely  united  on  the  doctrines  and 
principles  to  which  they  hold. 

"  Elders,  ministers  and  deacons  are  elected  by  the  church  from 
among  her  members,  such  as  she  may  deem  qualified  for  the 
important  work  to  which  they  are  called.  Each  member,  with- 
out reference  to  sex,  has  a  right  to  cast  a  vote.  Ministers,  after 
giving  full  proof  of  their  faithfulness  and  ability,  are  advanced 
to  the  i  second  degree'  of  the  ministry.  They  are  then  author- 
ized to  baptize,  solemnize  marriage,  and  make  and  fill  appoint- 
ment   for  preaching  the  Word.     Elders,  or  bishops,  who  pre- 


150  The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 

side  over  the  congregations,  are  chosen  from  the  ministers  in  the 
second  degree.  No  salaries  are  paid,  but  poor  ministers,  and 
those  who  are  sent  out  as  missionaries,  are  properly  supported." 

Part  C.  Statistics. 
The  Brethren  church  has  about  100,000  communicants 
— of  this  number  Pennsylvania  has  nearly  20,000.  There 
are  6,000  members  east  of  the  Susquehanna.  While  the 
entire  church  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania,  on  being  driven 
out  of  Germany,  this  State  always  has  had  a  larger 
membership  than  any  other.  The  rest  of  the  membership 
is  widely  scattered.  There  are  a  few  small  congregations 
in  New  Jersey,  a  good  membership  in  parts  of  Maryland, 
Virginia  and  West  Virginia.  These  are  the  principal  set- 
tlements on  the  Atlantic  Coast.  There  are  no  congrega- 
tions in  New  England,  as  may  be  expected  from  the  dif- 
ference of  language  in  the  first  place.  There  is  a  mission 
in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  There  are  a  few  organized  churches 
in  North  and  South  Carolina,  and  one  in  Georgia,  and  a 
few  in  Florida.  Because  of  the  position  of  the  church  on 
the  question  of  slavery,  there  was  little  work  in  the  South. 
As  is  well  known,  the  Brethren  took  an  advance  position 
against  slavery  at  a  very  early  day.  In  1797  the  church 
in  Conference  action  abolished  and  prohibited  slavery,  and 
if  members  still  persisted  in  the  unholy  business,  they  were 
expelled.  This  action  was  taken  sixty-six  years  before 
the  nation  abolished  slavery.  Of  late  years  the  work  has 
been  spreading  south  somewhat.  Leaving  the  Atlantic 
Coast,  we  find  the  strongest  States  in  membership  to  be  the 
following  :  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Kansas 
and  Nebraska.  All  the  other  States  and  Territories 
throughout  the  Great  West  and  Central  portions,  are  repre- 
sented in  the  membership.  Reference  to  the  mission  fields 
will  indicate  the  membership  in  foreign  countries. 


Statistics.  151 

The  church  has  about  2,500  ministers  in  all  departments 
of  her  work.  There  are  about  850  organized  congrega- 
tions, with  about  1,100  church  buildings. 

Part  D.  Educational  Interests. 
I  cannot  in  this  connection  trace  the  history  and  de- 
velopment of  the  educational  system  as  it  exists  to-day  in 
the  Brethren  church.  It  will  be  sufficient  for  the  present 
purpose  to  name  the  principal  institutions,  to  show  the  ex- 
tent and  distribution  of  the  work  in  the  several  States.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  institutions  in  existence  to-day, 
arranged  chiefly  in  the  order  of  their  establishment : 


I. 

Juniata  College, 

Huntingdon, 

Pa. 

2. 

Mt.  Morris  College, 

Mt.  Morris, 

111. 

3- 

Lordsburg  College, 

Lordsburg, 

Cal. 

4- 

McPherson  College, 

McPherson, 

Kan. 

5- 

Manchester  College, 

North  Manchester, 

Ind. 

6. 

Bridgewater  College, 

Bridgewater, 

Va. 

7- 

Fruitdale  College, 

Fruitdale, 

Ala. 

8. 

Smithville  Collegiate  Institute, 

Smithville, 

Ohio, 

9- 

Maryland  Collegiate  Institute, 

Union  Bridge, 

Md. 

10. 

Elizabethtown  College, 

Elizabethtown, 

Pa. 

In  addition  to  these,  there  are  several  private  institutes 
and  normal  schools. 

Part  E.  Missionary  Fields  and  Foreign  Work. 
The  General  Missionary  and  Tract  Committee  controls 
all  the  extensive  publishing  interests  of  the  Church,  located 
at  Elgin,  111.,  and  the  income  of  the  said  interests  is  de- 
voted by  the  committee  to  Missionary  Work  at  Home  and 
in  Foreign  Fields.  The  following  list  will  indicate  the 
fields  in  foreign  countries,  as  conducted  for  the  Church  : 


152 


The  German  Baptist  Brethren. 


Denmark,  Sweden,  France,  Switzerland,  Philadelphia  and 
Smyrna  in  Asia  Minor,  and  India.  All  of  these  coun- 
tries and  places  have  organized  churches.  There  are  at 
present  six  missionaries  in  India,  and  four  more  are  to 
sail  this  month.  There  is  a  large  Orphanage  maintained 
in  connection  with  the  work  in  India,  and  this  year  the 
Church  has  sent  to  that  large  field,  $20,000  for  the  famine 
sufferers. 

The  General  Mission  Board  carries  on  work  in  many 
fields  at  home.  The  publishing  house,  controlled  by  the 
Missionary  Committee,  publishes  the  Gospel  Messenger 
(the  principal  organ  of  the  Church),  the  Sunday-school 
literature,  various  books  and  many  tracts. 


INDEX. 


^PPENDIX 141 

Arndt,  Johann 13 

Arnold,  Gottfried 15 

gECKER,  Peter 23 

leader 27 

Becker,  Peter,  Missionary  Tour .  .      43 

leader 73 

Bermudian  Church,  History  of  .  .  100 

Members,  in  1770 100 

Beissel,  Conrad,<baptized  by  Elder 

Peter  Becker 47 

His  History  and  Wanderings  53-56 

At  Conestoga 56 

The  Foundations  of   Monastic 

Commune 56 

His  Companions  leave 58 

Fellowship    in     the    Brethren 

Church 58 

The  Congregation  divided  ...  59 
Re-baptism  and  Separation  .  .  60 
Character  of  his  Doctrine  ...     61 

Boehme,  Jacob 14 

Bony,  Andrew 20 

Bony,  Johanna 20 

Brethren,  Name 11,  12 

Origin 12 

Organization 17 

The  Baptism 20,  21,  22 

First  Members 20 

Emigration  to  America  ....      25 

Persecution 26 

Settlement 28 

Gathering  the  First  Fruits  ...  31 
Baptism  and  L,ove  Feast .  .    .    31-38 

Results 39 

Missionary  Tours 43 

Second  Emigration 51 

Germantown  Brethren 113 

Industry 104 

Faith  and  Practice 141 

Statistics 150 

I 


QATH0I4C  Church 13,  15 

Codorus  Church,  History  of  .    .  96 

Members,  in  1770 97 

Conestoga  Church,  History  of  .    89-90 

Members,  in  1770 91 

Conewago  Church,  little,  History 

of 97 

Members,  in  1770 98 

Conewago  Church 99 

Members,  in  1770 99 

Coventry  Church,  History  of.  .    84-86 

Members,  in  1770  , 88 

Ministers  of 87 

Crefeld 72 

J)UBOIS,  Abraham 23 

life  of 83 

Dunker,  see  Brethren. 

£CKERUN,  Michael 23 

Edwards,  Morgan,  Account  of 

Brethren  Congregations,  in  1770  .  102 

Exodus  from  Germantown ....  78 

pA^CKNER'S  Swamp 28 

Felbinger,  Jeremias 15 

Fetter,  I,ucaa 20 

Francke,  August. Hermann  ....  15 

QANTZ,  George  B 23 

Germany 12 

Germantown 28,  29 

Church,  in  1770 81 

Members 81 

The  Mother  Church 113 

History  of  the  present  location.  116 

The  Old  Folks'  Home 129 

The  Old  Church 131 

The  Weaver  I^og  House  .  .    .    .  134 

Select  School 134 

The  Cemetery 136 

Alexander  Mack,  Jr 136 

Mack  Family 140 

53 


i54 


Index. 


Graby,  George 20 

Greatswamp,  in  1770 83 

JJOCHMAN,  Ernst  Christoph  .  .      15 
Holtzappel,  Henry 23 

INDUSTRIAL  Ufe 104 

Industries 106,  107 

Introduction 9 

gALKLOSER,  J.  H 23 

Kipping,  John 20 

Johanna 20 

Koch,  Stephen 23,  75 

His  Visions 76 

Goes  to  Ephrata 78 

I  ANDIS,  Henry 32 

Lang,  Frederick 32 

Libe,  Christ 23 

Luther 13 

Lutheran 15 

]J ACK,  Alexander,  Sr.,  History 

of  Brethren 17 

Baptized 20 

Leader 25 

His  Leadership  in  America  .    .  62 
Birth,  63;     Occupation,    64; 
Marriage,  64  ;   Life-work,  64  ; 
His  Character,  69 ;  Removal, 

69  ;  His  grave,  70  ;  His  Seal  .  71 

The  Loss  of  the  Churches  ...  74 

Mack,  Anna  Margaretta 20 

Mack,  Alexander,  Jr 136 

Mack  Family 140 


Maylc,  Jane 32 

Jam 60 

J^ASS,  John 23 

OCCUPATIONS 106,  107 

Oley,  History  of 28,  88 

Members,  in  1770 89 

pALATINATE 19 

Pietism,  Best  Sense 15 

Pietists,  History  of 14,  16 

REFORMED,  Reformation.  .    .  13,  15 
Reaction 72 

3CHWARTZENAU -  .    .  19 

-  Skippack 28 

Spener,  Philip  Jacob 14 

Stony^Creek  Church,  History  of  .  101 

Members,  in  1770 101 

Swatara,'Big,  History  of 93 

Members,  in  1770 94 

Swatara,  Little,  History  of  ...  .  94 

Members,  in  1770 95 

T;ROUT,  J.  H 23 

Tulpehocken,(Northkill),  His- 
tory of 95 

Members,  in  1770 96 

JJRNER,  Martin 32 

^yHITE  OAK  Church,  History  of    92 
Members,  in  1770 93 


